Long-Term Disease Surveillance in Bandundu Region, Democratic Republic of the Congo: A Model for Early Detection and Prevention of Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever

After the large-scale outbreak of Ebola hemorrhagic fever (EHF) in Bandundu region, Democratic Republic of the Congo, a program was developed to help detect and prevent future outbreaks of EHF in the region. The long-term surveillance and prevention strategy is based on early recognition by physicia...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	The Journal of infectious diseases Vol. 179; no. Supplement-1; pp. S274 - S280
Main Authors:	Lloyd, Ethleen S., Zaki, Sherif R., Rollin, Pierre E., Tshioko, Kweteminga, Bwaka, Mpia A., Ksiazek, Thomas G., Calain, Philippe, Shieh, Wun-Ju, Kondé, M. Kader, Verchueren, Eric, Perry, Helen N., Manguindula, Lubaki, Kabwau, Jean, Ndambi, Roger, Peters, C. J.
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	United States The University of Chicago Press 01-02-1999 University of Chicago Press Oxford University Press
Subjects:	Adult Control, Response, Prevention Democratic Republic of the Congo - epidemiology Disease models Disease outbreaks Disease Outbreaks - prevention & control Disease transmission Ebola virus Ebolavirus - isolation & purification Epidemiology Fever Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola - diagnosis Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola - epidemiology Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola - prevention & control Humans Immunohistochemistry - methods Infection Control Models, Theoretical Patient surveillance Physicians Population Surveillance - methods Skin - virology Software Design Specimens Surveillance Time Factors Democratic Republic of the Congo
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Summary:	After the large-scale outbreak of Ebola hemorrhagic fever (EHF) in Bandundu region, Democratic Republic of the Congo, a program was developed to help detect and prevent future outbreaks of EHF in the region. The long-term surveillance and prevention strategy is based on early recognition by physicians, immediate initiation of enhanced barrier-nursing practices, and the use of an immunohistochemical diagnostic test performed on formalin-fixed skin specimens of patients who die of suspected viral hemorrhagic fever. The program was implemented in September 1995 during a 4-day workshop with 28 local physicians representing 17 of 22 health zones in the region. Specimen collection kits were distributed to clinics in participating health zones, and a follow-up evaluation was conducted after 6 months. The use of a formalin-fixed skin specimen for laboratory confirmation of EHF can provide an appropriate method for EHF surveillance when linked with physician training, use of viral hemorrhagic fever isolation precautions, and follow-up investigation.
Bibliography:	istex:AD5AAA7EBAC284251FF33488AE40ED8A3A13D9F6 ark:/67375/HXZ-7GV4G59P-0 Current affiliation: Institut de Médecine Tropicale, Antwerp, Belgium (M.A.B.); Médecins sans Frontières—Belgium, N'Djamena, Chad (E.V.); World Health Organization, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo (J.K.). ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 23
ISSN:	0022-1899 1537-6613
DOI:	10.1086/514312