Serologic Survey among Hospital and Health Center Workers during the Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever Outbreak in Kikwit, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 1995 | Zendy

Oyewale Tomori | Zendy; Jeanne Bertolli | Zendy; Pierre E. Rollin | Zendy; Y. Fleerackers | Zendy; Y. Guimard | Zendy; Ann De Roo | Zendy; Heinz Feldmann | Zendy; Felicity J. Burt | Zendy; Robert Swanepoel | Zendy; M. Scott Killian | Zendy; Ali S. Khan | Zendy; Kweteminga Tshioko | Zendy; Mpia Ado Bwaka | Zendy; Roger Ndambe | Zendy; C. J. Peters | Zendy; Thomas G. Ksiazek | Zendy

Open Access

Serologic Survey among Hospital and Health Center Workers during the Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever Outbreak in Kikwit, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 1995

Author(s) -

Oyewale Tomori,

Jeanne Bertolli,

Pierre E. Rollin,

Y. Fleerackers,

Y. Guimard,

Ann De Roo,

Heinz Feldmann,

Felicity J. Burt,

Robert Swanepoel,

M. Scott Killian,

Ali S. Khan,

Kweteminga Tshioko,

Mpia Ado Bwaka,

Roger Ndambe,

C. J. Peters,

Thomas G. Ksiazek

Publication year - 1999

Publication title -

the journal of infectious diseases

Language(s) - English

Resource type - Journals

SCImago Journal Rank - 2.69

H-Index - 252

eISSN - 1537-6613

pISSN - 0022-1899

DOI - 10.1086/514307

Subject(s) - ebola hemorrhagic fever , outbreak , medicine , serology , ebola virus , transmission (telecommunications) , asymptomatic , family medicine , health care , environmental health , virology , immunology , antibody , political science , law , electrical engineering , engineering

From May to July 1995, a serologic and interview survey was conducted to describe Ebola hemorrhagic fever (EHF) among personnel working in 5 hospitals and 26 health care centers in and around Kikwit, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Job-specific attack rates estimated for Kikwit General Hospital, the epicenter of the EHF epidemic, were 31% for physicians, 11% for technicians/room attendants, 10% for nurses, and 4% for other workers. Among 402 workers who did not meet the EHF case definition, 12 had borderline positive antibody test results; subsequent specimens from 4 of these tested negative. Although an old infection with persistent Ebola antibody production or a recent atypical or asymptomatic infection cannot be ruled out, if they occur at all, they appear to be rare. This survey demonstrated that opportunities for transmission of Ebola virus to personnel in health facilities existed in Kikwit because blood and body fluid precautions were not being universally followed.

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