Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever Transmission and Risk Factors of Contacts, Uganda1

Abstract

From August 2000 through January 2001, a large epidemic of Ebola hemorrhagic fever occurred in Uganda, with 425 cases and 224 deaths. Starting from three laboratory-confirmed cases, we traced the chains of transmission for three generations, until we reached the primary case-patients (i.e., persons with an unidentified source of infection). We then prospectively identified the other contacts in whom the disease had developed. To identify the risk factors associated with transmission, we interviewed both healthy and ill contacts (or their proxies) who had been reported by the case-patients (or their proxies) and who met the criteria set for contact tracing during surveillance. The patterns of exposure of 24 case-patients and 65 healthy contacts were defined, and crude and adjusted prevalence proportion ratios (PPR) were estimated for different types of exposure. Contact with the patient’s body fluids (PPR = 4.61%, 95% confidence interval 1.73 to 12.29) was the strongest risk factor, although transmission through fomites also seems possible.

Medical students' knowledge level about Ebola

“…Takođe, smatra se da je realni broj inficiranih znatno veći od broja potvrđenih slučajeva. Do ove epidemije, najviše obolelih bilo je u epidemiji Ebole u Ugandi, od oktobra 2000. do januara 2001. godine, u kojoj je obolelo 425 ljudi, a umrlo njih 224 (1,2). U avgustu 2014. godine SZO je objavila da je postojeća epidemija Ebole dostigla nivo javnozdravstvene pretnje od međunarodnog značaja, a epidemija se iz Gvineje proširila na još pet zemalja Zapadne Afrike: Sijeru Leone, Liberiju, Nigeriju, Senegal i Mali.…”

The AIRSAN Project - Efficient, coherent EU level response to public health threats in air transport

“…Simple physical contact with a sick person appeared to be neither necessary nor sufficient for contracting Ebola infection: one person who developed the disease was probably infected by contact with heavily contaminated fomites, and many persons who had simple physical contact with a sick person did not become infected. Transmission through heavily contaminated fomites is apparently possible (25). In summary, physical contact with body fluids seems necessary for transmission, especially in the early stages of disease (as is likely in passengers still able to travel on a plane), while in the later stages contact with heavily contaminated fomites might also be a risk for transmission.…”

THE STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES, OPPORTUNITIES, AND THREATS (SWOTs) ANALYSES OF THE EBOLA VIRUS

“…Spread of ebola cases over longer distances is often associated with ventures for treatment that draws people from rural villages that typify the index case locations to big urban centres with central medical facilities. While this mostly involves domestic land travel (Francesconi et al, 2003). some instances of international importation by air travel have been documented.…”