Daniel Youkee

Clinical features of patients isolated for suspected Ebola virus disease at Connaught Hospital, Freetown, Sierra Leone: a retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND The size of the west African Ebola virus disease outbreak led to the urgent establishment of Ebola holding unit facilities for isolation and diagnostic testing of patients with suspected Ebola virus disease. Following the onset of the outbreak in Sierra Leone, patients presenting to Connaught Hospital in Freetown were screened for suspected Ebola virus disease on arrival and, if necessary, were admitted to the on-site Ebola holding unit. Since demand for beds in this unit greatly exceeded capacity, we aimed to improve the selection of patients with suspected Ebola virus disease for admission by identifying presenting clinical characteristics that were predictive of a confirmed diagnosis. METHODS In this retrospective cohort study, we recorded the presenting clinical characteristics of suspected Ebola virus disease cases admitted to Connaught Hospitals Ebola holding unit. Patients were subsequently classified as confirmed Ebola virus disease cases or non-cases according to the result of Ebola virus reverse-transcriptase PCR (EBOV RT-PCR) testing. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and likelihood ratio of every clinical characteristic were calculated, to estimate the diagnostic accuracy and predictive value of each clinical characteristic for confirmed Ebola virus disease. RESULTS Between May 29, 2014, and Dec 8, 2014, 850 patients with suspected Ebola virus disease were admitted to the holding unit, of whom 724 had an EBOV RT-PCR result recorded and were included in the analysis. In 464 (64%) of these patients, a diagnosis of Ebola virus disease was confirmed. Fever or history of fever (n=599, 83%), intense fatigue or weakness (n=495, 68%), vomiting or nausea (n=365, 50%), and diarrhoea (n=294, 41%) were the most common presenting symptoms in suspected cases. Presentation with intense fatigue, confusion, conjunctivitis, hiccups, diarrhea, or vomiting was associated with increased likelihood of confirmed Ebola virus disease. Three or more of these symptoms in combination increased the probability of Ebola virus disease by 3·2-fold (95% CI 2·3-4·4), but the sensitivity of this strategy for Ebola virus disease diagnosis was low. In a subgroup analysis, 15 (9%) of 161 confirmed Ebola virus disease cases reported neither a history of fever nor a risk factor for Ebola virus disease exposure. INTERPRETATION Discrimination of Ebola virus disease cases from patients without the disease is a major challenge in an outbreak and needs rapid diagnostic testing. Suspected Ebola virus disease case definitions that rely on history of fever and risk factors for Ebola virus disease exposure do not have sufficient sensitivity to identify all cases of the disease. FUNDING None.

Assessment of environmental contamination and environmental decontamination practices within an Ebola holding unit, Freetown, Sierra Leone

Evidence to inform decontamination practices at Ebola holding units (EHUs) and treatment centres is lacking. We conducted an audit of decontamination procedures inside Connaught Hospital EHU in Freetown, Sierra Leone, by assessing environmental swab specimens for evidence of contamination with Ebola virus by RT-PCR. Swabs were collected following discharge of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) patients before and after routine decontamination. Prior to decontamination, Ebola virus RNA was detected within a limited area at all bedside sites tested, but not at any sites distant to the bedside. Following decontamination, few areas contained detectable Ebola virus RNA. In areas beneath the bed there was evidence of transfer of Ebola virus material during cleaning. Retraining of cleaning staff reduced evidence of environmental contamination after decontamination. Current decontamination procedures appear to be effective in eradicating persistence of viral RNA. This study supports the use of viral swabs to assess Ebola viral contamination within the clinical setting. We recommend that regular refresher training of cleaning staff and audit of environmental contamination become standard practice at all Ebola care facilities during EVD outbreaks.

Ebola Holding Units at government hospitals in Sierra Leone: evidence for a flexible and effective model for safe isolation, early treatment initiation, hospital safety and health system functioning

The 2014-2015 West African outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) claimed the lives of more than 11,000 people and infected over 27,000 across seven countries. Traditional approaches to containing EVD proved inadequate and new approaches for controlling the outbreak were required. The Ministry of Health & Sanitation and King’s Sierra Leone Partnership developed a model for Ebola Holding Units (EHUs) at Government Hospitals in the capital city Freetown. The EHUs isolated screened or referred suspect patients, provided initial clinical care, undertook laboratory testing to confirm EVD status, referred onward positive cases to an Ebola Treatment Centre or negative cases to the general wards, and safely stored corpses pending collection by burial teams. Between 29th May 2014 and 19th January 2015, our five units had isolated approximately 37% (1159) of the 3097 confirmed cases within Western Urban and Rural district. Nosocomial transmission of EVD within the units appears lower than previously documented at other facilities and staff infection rates were also low. We found that EHUs are a flexible and effective model of rapid diagnosis, safe isolation and early initial treatment. We also demonstrated that it is possible for international partners and government facilities to collaborate closely during a humanitarian crisis.

Ebola Virus Disease in Children, Sierra Leone, 2014–2015

Children died rapidly, more than half in Ebola holding units before transfer to treatment units.

Ebola response in Sierra Leone: The impact on children

Summary The West African Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak is the largest ever seen, with over 28,000 cases and 11,300 deaths since early 2014. The magnitude of the outbreak has tested fragile governmental health systems and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to their limit. Here we discuss the outbreak in the Western Area of Sierra Leone, the shape of the local response and the impact the response had on caring for children suspected of having contracted EVD. Challenges encountered in providing clinical care to children whilst working in the “Red Zone” where risk of EVD is considered to be highest, wearing full personal protective equipment are detailed. Suggestions and recommendations both for further research and for operational improvement in the future are made, with particular reference as to how a response could be more child-focused.

Quantifying the risk of nosocomial infection within Ebola Holding Units: a retrospective cohort study of negative patients discharged from five Ebola Holding Units in Western Area, Sierra Leone

A central pillar in the response to the 2014 Ebola virus disease (EVD) epidemic in Sierra Leone was the role of Ebola Holding Units (EHUs). These units isolated patients meeting a suspect case definition, tested them for EVD, initiated appropriate early treatment and discharged negative patients to onward inpatient care or home. Positive patients were referred to Ebola Treatment Centres. We aimed to estimate the risk of nosocomial transmission within these EHUs.

Novel surveillance methods for the control of Ebola virus disease

The unprecedented scale of the 2013-2016 West African Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak was in a large part due to failings in surveillance: contacts of confirmed cases were not systematically identified, monitored and diagnosed early, and new cases appearing in previously unaffected communities were similarly not rapidly identified, diagnosed and isolated. Over the course of this epidemic, traditional surveillance methods were strengthened and novel methods introduced. The wealth of experience gained, and the systems introduced in West Africa, should be used in future EVD outbreaks, as well as for other communicable diseases in the region and beyond.

Risk in the "Red Zone": Outcomes for Children Admitted to Ebola Holding Units in Sierra Leone Without Ebola Virus Disease

Abstract We collected data on 1054 children admitted to Ebola Holding Units in Sierra Leone and describe outcomes of 697/1054 children testing negative for Ebola virus disease (EVD) and accompanying caregivers. Case-fatality was 9%; 3/630 (0.5%) children discharged testing negative were readmitted EVD-positive. Nosocomial EVD transmission risk may be lower than feared.

Acute hepatitis E virus infection in a migrant population in North East Italy: A retrospective analysis.

OBJECTIVE To study the epidemiological and clinical features of Hepatitis E Virus (HEV) infection in a migrant population. METHODS We performed a retrospective chart review, identifying a cohort of 21 symptomatic patients of migrant origin with confirmed HEV infection admitted in the period between January 1995-November 2014. RESULTS 20 (95%) patients came from South Asian countries highly endemic for HEV, all positive for HEV genotype 1. Recent travel to a highly endemic country was the most consistent risk factor identified in 90% of cases, duration from return to Italy to hospitalization ranged from 10 to 120 days. Nausea and vomiting (100%), jaundice (95.2%), and anorexia (85.7%) were the most common reported symptoms. Fever was present in 57.1% of cases. Transaminase values were elevated in all patients and serum bilirubin was raised in 86% of patients. We found no statistically significant differences between clinical symptoms, laboratory results or duration of hospitalization in patients with co-morbidities compared to those without. We also report a secondary case of HEV genotype 1 transmitted within Italy. CONCLUSION Our study highlights the epidemiological risk factors and clinical features of HEV infection in a migrant population in Italy and should stimulate further research regarding the prevalence and morbidity of HEV within migrant populations in Europe.

Refining the paediatric Ebola case definition: a study of children in Sierra Leone with suspected Ebola virus disease

Abstract Background The case definition for suspected Ebola virus disease is broad, so many negative children are isolated for testing, risking nosocomial infection. We collected data on children admitted to Ebola holding units in Sierra Leone to refine the case definition and describe outcomes of admitted children. Methods All children aged less than 13 years admitted to 11 Ebola holding units in Sierra Leone between Aug 1, 2014, and March 31, 2015, were eligible for inclusion. Data were collected from paper-based clinical records, district-wide laboratory results, burial records, staff interviews, and follow-up telephone calls. The cohort was split into training and validation datasets. A model was developed with multivariable logistic regression and compared with laboratory results to explore the sensitivity and specificity of the alternative case definition. Findings Of 1054 children admitted, 309 (29%) tested positive for Ebola virus disease and 697 (66%) tested negative (48 [5%] missing). The model had an area under receiver operating characteristic curve of 0·80 (high performance). A case definition of Ebola virus disease contact alone, fever (in children >2 years), or fever and conjunctivitis ( 2 years) improved specificity (97%), with sensitivity of 23%. Children testing negative had a case fatality rate of 8% versus 57% in those with Ebola virus disease (p Interpretation Contact history, fever, conjunctivitis, abdominal pain, and diarrhoea are key characteristics for diagnosis of paediatric Ebola virus disease. The case definitions developed can be used flexibly—for example, for triage into risk categories to reduce risk of nosocomial infection. Funding Save the Children.