SFDPH Health Advisory: Ebola Virus August 6, 2014 Public Health, SF Dept of Public Health SFDPH health advisory, Ebola 0 A large outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) is currently occurring in the West African countries of Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, with limited healthcare-associated spread in Nigeria as well. Two cases in US aid workers in West Africa have also been reported. CDC has warned against all non-essential travel to Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, and advises that while the possibility of infected persons entering the U.S. remains low, health care providers in should consider EVD in the differential diagnosis of ill patients with compatible symptoms and risk factors. EVD is characterized by sudden onset of fever. Additional symptoms may include myalgia, headache, vomiting, and diarrhea; patients with severe forms of the disease may develop multi-organ dysfunction, including hepatic damage, renal failure, central nervous system involvement and unexplained hemorrhage, leading to shock and death. Incubation period is 2-21 days post-exposure. Actions Requested of San Francisco Clinicians by the SFDPH: SUSPECT EBOLA VIRUS DISEASE in patients who meet the following criteria: Any person with fever who: (a) has traveled within the past 21 days to a country involved in the Ebola outbreak; OR (b) who has cared for, or been in contact with body fluids of, a person diagnosed with, or strongly suspected to have EVD. Any person with a high risk exposure (see (b) above) who does not have fever but has additional clinically compatible symptoms. IMPLEMENT STANDARD, DROPLET AND CONTACT PRECAUTIONS immediately for suspected cases. Add airborne precautions for aerosol-generating procedures. Facilities wishing to further reduce transmission risk may wish to add airborne precautions even in the absence of aerosol-generating procedures. IMMEDIATELY REPORT suspect EVD cases to San Francisco Department of Public Health Communicable Disease Control Unit (SFDPH CDCU) by phone 24/7 at (415) 554-2830. After hours, follow instructions to have the on-call MD paged. TEST suspected cases. Collect at least 4 mL of serum, plasma, or whole blood and refrigerate. SFDPH CDCU will provide instructions concerning specimen handling, and will arrange for the specimen to be transported to SFDPH Public Health Laboratory as a Category B diagnostic specimen. Do not send specimens directly to CDPH or CDC. Click here to view the SFDPH Health Advisory issued on August 6, 2014. Comments are closed.
