Use of Peripheral Health Units in Low-Transmission Ebola Virus Disease Surveillance

Surveillance strategies for Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in Sierra Leone use a centralized "live alert" system to refer suspect cases from the community to specialized Ebola treatment centers. As EVD case burden declined in Port Loko District, Sierra Leone so did the number of reported alerts. Because EVD presents similarly to malaria, the number of alerts should remain consistent with malaria prevalence in malaria-endemic areas, irrespective of the reduction in true EVD cases. A community-based EVD surveillance system with improved symptom recording and follow-up of malaria-confirmed patients at PHUs was implemented in order to strengthen the sensitivity of EVD reporting.

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Evaluation of ebola virus disease surveillance system in Tonkolili District, Sierra Leone – 2015

International Journal of Infectious Diseases ◽

10.1016/j.ijid.2016.02.657 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 45 ◽

pp. 298

Author(s):

O.S. Ilesanmi ◽

O. Fawole ◽

P. Nguku ◽

A. Oladimeji

Keyword(s):

Sierra Leone ◽

Surveillance System ◽

Disease Surveillance ◽

Ebola Virus ◽

Virus Disease ◽

Ebola Virus Disease ◽

Disease Surveillance System

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Evaluation of Ebola virus disease surveillance system in Tonkolili District, Sierra Leone

Pan African Medical Journal ◽

10.11604/pamj.supp.2019.32.1.14434 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 32 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Olayinka Stephen Ilesanmi ◽

Olufunmilayo Fawole ◽

Patrick Nguku ◽

Abisola Oladimeji ◽

Okoro Nwenyi

Keyword(s):

Sierra Leone ◽

Surveillance System ◽

Disease Surveillance ◽

Ebola Virus ◽

Virus Disease ◽

Ebola Virus Disease ◽

Disease Surveillance System

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The Ebola virus disease outbreak in Tonkolili district, Sierra Leone: a retrospective analysis of the Viral Haemorrhagic Fever surveillance system, July 2014–June 2015

Epidemiology and Infection ◽

10.1017/s0950268819000177 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 147 ◽

Author(s):

Alessandro Miglietta ◽

Angelo Solimini ◽

Ghyslaine Bruna Djeunang Dongho ◽

Carla Montesano ◽

Giovanni Rezza ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Sierra Leone ◽

Symptom Onset ◽

Surveillance System ◽

Ebola Virus ◽

Virus Disease ◽

Multivariable Analysis ◽

Data Availability ◽

Ebola Virus Disease ◽

Haemorrhagic Fever ◽

Viral Haemorrhagic Fever

AbstractIn Sierra Leone, the Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak occurred with substantial differences between districts with someone even not affected. To monitor the epidemic, a community event-based surveillance system was set up, collecting data into the Viral Haemorrhagic Fever (VHF) database. We analysed the VHF database of Tonkolili district to describe the epidemiology of the EVD outbreak during July 2014–June 2015 (data availability). Multivariable analysis was used to identify risk factors for EVD, fatal EVD and barriers to healthcare access, by comparing EVD-positive vs. EVD-negative cases. Key-performance indicators for EVD response were also measured. Overall, 454 EVD-positive cases were reported. At multivariable analysis, the odds of EVD was higher among those reporting contacts with an EVD-positive/suspected case (odds ratio (OR) 2.47; 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.44–2.50; P < 0.01) and those attending funeral (OR 1.02; 95% CI 1.01–1.04; P < 0.01). EVD cases from Kunike chiefdom had a lower odds of death (OR 0.22; 95% CI 0.08–0.44; P < 0.01) and were also more likely to be hospitalised (OR 2.34; 95% CI 1.23–4.57; P < 0.05). Only 25.1% of alerts were generated within 1 day from symptom onset. EVD preparedness and response plans for Tonkolili should include social-mobilisation activities targeting Ebola/knowledge-attitudes-practice during funeral attendance, to avoid contact with suspected cases and to increase awareness on EVD symptoms, in order to reduce delays between symptom onset to alert generation and consequently improve the outbreak-response promptness.

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Ebola Virus Disease Surveillance in Two High-Transmission Districts of Sierra Leone During the 2013–2015 Outbreak: Surveillance Methods, Implications for Maternal and Child Health, and Recommendations

Global Maternal and Child Health - Pregnant in the Time of Ebola ◽

10.1007/978-3-319-97637-2_27 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 417-435

Author(s):

Allison M. Connolly ◽

Alyssa J. Young

Keyword(s):

Child Health ◽

Sierra Leone ◽

Maternal And Child Health ◽

Disease Surveillance ◽

Ebola Virus ◽

Virus Disease ◽

Ebola Virus Disease ◽

High Transmission ◽

And Child Health

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Employing survivors of Ebola virus disease (EVD) as a novel system to support community-based surveillance in an Ebola hotspot within Sierra Leone

International Journal of Infectious Diseases ◽

10.1016/j.ijid.2016.11.283 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 53 ◽

pp. 113

Author(s):

J. Garland ◽

G. Warren ◽

M. Drasher ◽

K. Dierberg ◽

J. Gottesfeld ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Sierra Leone ◽

Ebola Virus ◽

Virus Disease ◽

Ebola Virus Disease ◽

Community Based

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Recovering from the Ebola crisis: ‘Social Reconnection Groups’ in a rural Liberian community

Global Mental Health ◽

10.1017/gmh.2019.13 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 6 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

M. Morelli ◽

G. Cyrus ◽

I. Weissbecker ◽

J. Kpangbai ◽

M. Mallow ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Sierra Leone ◽

Group Intervention ◽

Ebola Virus ◽

Virus Disease ◽

International Medical ◽

Ebola Virus Disease ◽

Community Members ◽

Community Based ◽

Social Reconnection

In 2014/2015, International Medical Corps (IMC) operated two Ebola Treatment Units (ETUs) in Liberia and three in Sierra Leone when the Ebola virus disease epidemic killed over 11,000 people across Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea. As Ebola cases declined in Liberia, IMC Psychosocial teams transitioned to working in communities highly affected by the epidemic. This article describes IMC's experience with developing and implementing a community-based mental health and psychosocial group intervention in a rural, severely affected Liberian town – Mawah – where 46 out of approximately 800 community members were infected, 39 of whom died. In this paper, we present how the group intervention, named ‘Social Reconnection Groups’, was developed and implemented. We then discuss intervention strengths, challenges, key lessons learnt and recommendations for how Social Reconnection Groups can be adapted for use in similar settings.

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Revitalization of integrated disease surveillance and response in Sierra Leone post Ebola virus disease outbreak

BMC Public Health ◽

10.1186/s12889-019-6636-1 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Charles Njuguna ◽

Amara Jambai ◽

Alexander Chimbaru ◽

Anders Nordstrom ◽

Roland Conteh ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Sierra Leone ◽

Disease Surveillance ◽

Ebola Virus ◽

Virus Disease ◽

Disease Outbreak ◽

Ebola Virus Disease ◽

Surveillance And Response

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Screening at ports of entry for Ebola Virus Disease in England—a descriptive analysis of screening assessment data, 2014–2015

Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1093/pubmed/fdaa216 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Nicki L Boddington ◽

Sophia Steinberger ◽

Richard G Pebody

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

High Risk ◽

Secondary Care ◽

Ebola Virus ◽

Virus Disease ◽

Descriptive Analysis ◽

Health Assessment ◽

Ebola Virus Disease ◽

Screening Assessment

Abstract Background In response to the outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in West Africa in 2014 and evidence of spread to other countries, pre-entry screening was introduced by PHE at five major ports of entry in the England. Methods All passengers that entered the England via the five ports returning from Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leonne were required to complete a Health Assessment Form and have their temperature taken. The numbers, characteristics and outcomes of these passengers were analysed. Results Between 14 October 2014 and 13 October 2015, a total of 12 648 passengers from affected countries had been screened. The majority of passengers were assessed as having no direct contact with EVD cases or high-risk events (12 069, 95.4%), although 535 (4.2%) passengers were assessed as requiring public health follow-up. In total, 39 passengers were referred directly to secondary care, although none were diagnosed with EVD. One high-risk passenger was later referred to secondary care and diagnosed with EVD. Conclusions Collection of these screening data enabled timely monitoring of the numbers and characteristics of passengers screened for EVD, facilitated resourcing decisions and acted as a mechanism to inform passengers of the necessary public health actions.

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PTSD, depression and anxiety in Ebola virus disease survivors in Beni town, Democratic Republic of the Congo

BMC Psychiatry ◽

10.1186/s12888-021-03343-7 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Célestin Kaputu-Kalala-Malu ◽

Eric Mafuta Musalu ◽

Tim Walker ◽

Olga Ntumba-Tshitenge ◽

Steve Ahuka-Mundeke

Keyword(s):

Ebola Virus ◽

Democratic Republic ◽

Short Term Memory ◽

Virus Disease ◽

Ebola Virus Disease ◽

Depression And Anxiety ◽

Short Term ◽

Republic Of The Congo ◽

Persistent Headache

Abstract Background Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) is a deadly and feared infectious disease, which can be responsible of debilitating physical and psychological sequelae in survivors including depression and anxiety disorders. Unfortunately, there are scarce data on survivor sequelae in Democratic Republic of the Congo. So this study assessed PTSD, depression and anxiety symptoms among EVD survivors enrolled in the follow-up program of the psychosocial care team of Beni town’s general hospital. Methods A cross-sectional study used consecutive sampling to recruit 144 Ebola virus disease survivors who came for follow up from October 23 to November 13; 2019. Basic socio-demographic data, presence of headache and short-term memory function were assessed. The Post-traumatic Checklist Scale and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale were used to assess psychological burden among participants. Descriptive statistics were used to summarized data and Pearson’s or likelihood chi-square were used to test association between psychiatric disorders and associated factors. Results The prevalence of PTSD, depression and anxiety was 24.3, 24.3 and 33.3% respectively. Being male (OR = 0.42, 95% CI: 0.16, 0.95, p = 0.049), suffering from persistent headache (OR = 2.62, 95% CI: 1.12, 6.14, p = 0.014), losing a loved one because of EVD (OR: 2.60, 95% CI: 1.11, 6.15, p = 0. 015) and being young − 18-24 years - (OR: 0. 261, 95% CI: 0. 08, 0.82, p = 0,026) were statistically associated with PTSD diagnosis. Having short-term memory impairment and suffering from persistent headache were statistically associated with depression and anxiety diagnoses (OR = 2.44, 95% CI: 1.03, 5.82, p = 0.026); (OR = 2.24, 95% CI: 1.04, 4.85, p = 0.025); (OR = 2.62, 95% CI: 1.12, 6.14, p = 0.014); (OR = 2.31, 95% CI: 1.06, 5.01, p = 0.020). Conclusion The prevalence of PTSD, depression and anxiety is high among EVD survivors. Development of specialized psychiatric services to sustain psychiatric and psychological health amongst survivors in the cultural context of the Eastern part of the DRC should be considered by the teams fighting against EVD in the DRC.

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