Marburg and Ebola are filoviruses that cause hemorrhage, multiple organ failure, and high mortality rates. Diagnosis is with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), or electron microscopy. Treatment is supportive. Strict isolation and quarantine measures are necessary to ...contain outbreaks.
more
Ebola disease and Marburg disease outbreaks continue to occur in Africa, with increased frequency. In addition to resulting in high mortality and morbidity, the outbreaks generate fear and mistrust about the response activities within the communities affected.
Infection prevention and control (IP...C) is a key pillar in the outbreak response; adherence to IPC practices can prevent and control transmission of infections to health and care workers, patients and their family members.
During the 2014-2016 West African Ebola disease outbreak, there was an urgent need for rapid IPC guidance to help support ministries of health, health-care providers and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). In response, WHO produced several documents related to the outbreak based on expert opinion, including IPC-specific documents and documents on clinical management that also referenced key IPC principles and practices. Since that time, many practices in the field have become institutionalized.
more
On March 16, 2023, the Tanzania Ministry of Health declared an outbreak of an unidentified illness in Bukoba district, Kagera region. A group of seven individuals presented with fever, vomiting, bleeding from various body orifices, and kidney failure, sparking suspicion of a contagious disease. Labo...ratory results from patients and the deceased confirmed the Marburg virus disease (MVD) outbreak on March 21, 2023.
more
Poster for communities and health worker
MEDBOX Issue Brief no. 24 (Sept.2022)
On 20 September 2022, Uganda health authorities declared an outbreak of Ebola disease, caused by Sudan virus,
following laboratory confirmation of a patient from a village in Madudu sub-county, Mubende district, central
Uganda.
Therefore the MEDBOX Team cre...ated this issue brief to give a quick overview of the most important documents and training material.
more
Guidance for health care workers.
The mhGAP Humanitarian Intervention Guide (mhGAP-HIG) Training of Health-Care Providers manual is designed to guide facilitators in training non-specialist health care providers to manage mental, neurological and substance use conditions in humanitarian emergency settings.
The manual covers sugge...sted training schedules, learning objectives, and tips for planning and facilitating the training. It also includes step-by-step training modules for different conditions covered in the mhGAP Humanitarian Intervention Guide (mhGAP-HIG).
more
Preparedness planning is essential in order to respond effectively to outbreaks, including single case occurrences of highconsequence infectious diseases (HCID), such as the importation of a viral haemorrhagic fever (VHF) case
Cette première version des orientations evolutives relatives a la prise en charge clinique de la MVE contient quatre nouvelles recommandations concernant l’utilisation de traitements contre la MVE, y compris deux recommandations fortes en faveur de l’utilisation de thérapies à base d’antico...rps monoclonaux. Ce nouveau document est rédigé en vue d’accompagner des soins de support optimisés (oSoC) pour les procédures opérationnelles standards appliquees a la MVE (5, 6). Les orientations evolutives presentent des preuves de haute qualité concernant l’efficacite des traitements contre la MVE et les recommandations de l’OMS relatives leur utilisation.
more
The WHO Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) Clinical management: living guidance contains the Organization’s most up-to-date recommendations for the clinical management of people with EVD. Providing guidance that is comprehensive and holistic for the optimal care of patients with EVD throughout their il...lness is important.
The living guidance is available in both pdf format (via the ‘Download’ button) and via an online platform in both French and English, and is updated regularly as new evidence emerges.
This first version of the Clinical management for EVD living guidance contains four new recommendations regarding use of therapeutics for EVD, this includes two strong recommendations for the use of monoclonal antibody therapies. This new living guideline is written to accompany the optimized supportive care (oSoC) for EVD standard operating procedures (5, 6). The living guideline aims to summarize high quality evidence for EVD therapeutics and make recommendations for their use.
more
Transmission-based precautions (TBP) are used in addition to standard precautions for patients with known
or suspected infection or colonization1 with transmissible and/or epidemiologically significant pathogens.
The type of transmission-based precautions assigned to a patient depends on the trans...mission route of the
microorganism: contact, droplet, or airborne
more
Guidance for health care workers.
Guidance for health care workers.
Both the REGN-EB3 and mAb114 are recommended for use in EVD. The two drugs should not be given together. The choice of which monoclonal antibody to use depends on availability, including emerging information about effectiveness.
As of 25 September 2022, a cumulative number of 18 confirmed and 18 probable cases have been reported from Mubende, Kyegegwa and Kassanda districts, including 23 deaths, of which five were among confirmed cases (CFR among confirmed cases 28%). This is the first Ebola disease outbreak caused by Sudan... virus (SUDV) in Uganda since 2012.
more
The Sierra Leone National Infection Prevention and Control Guidelines were jointly developed and updated by the Ministry of Health and Sanitation in collaboration with the World Health Organization and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Janvier 2022.
L'une des nombreuses inégalités entre les sexes dans le secteur de la santé et des soins que COVID-19 a révélées concerne l'ajustement et la conception des équipements de protection individuelle (EPI). L'apparition rapide et l'ampleur de COVID-19 ont entraîné des pénuries d'...EPI dans la plupart des pays, provoquant des infections et des décès évitables parmi les travailleurs de la santé et d'autres personnes en première ligne. Bien que la plupart des travailleurs de la santé soient des femmes, les spécifications de fabrication des EPI médicaux sont généralement établies en fonction du corps masculin et de nombreux cas d'EPI non conçus pour le corps des femmes ont été signalés. WGH a entrepris un projet de recherche mondial afin de documenter les défis auxquels les travailleuses de la santé sont confrontées.
more
Four (04) new EVD alerts were reported from Rubkona, Nimule, and juba during week 45 (ending 13 November 2022) but only one sample was collected for laboratory confirmation which tested negative. The other three were discarded as they did not meet EVD case definition.
One of the many gender inequities in the health and care workforce that COVID-19 has exposed is around the fit and design of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). The rapid onset and scale of COVID-19 led to shortages of PPE in most countries, causing preventable infection and mortality among healthc...are workers and others on the front lines. Even though most health workers are women, manufacturing specifications for medical PPE are usually drawn up based on the male body and there have been many reports of PPE not designed for women's bodies. WGH undertook a global research project to document the challenges women health workers have faced.
more