Ebola risk factors
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]: Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Michael Maddaleni, B.S.;Guillermo Rodriguez Nava, M.D. [2]; Rim Halaby, M.D. [3]; Yazan Daaboul, M.D.
Overview
The main risk factors for Ebola virus disease (EVD) include a recent travel to endemic regions, provision of direct care or exposure/processing of blood or body fluids of a symptomatic patient with Ebola virus disease, and direct contact with a dead body in an endemic region without personal protective equipment (PPE).[1]
Exposure Risk Levels
Levels of exposure risk are defined as follows[1]:
- High risk
- Some risk
- Low (but not zero) risk
- No identifiable risk
Risk Factors
The following epidemiologic risk factors should be considered when evaluating a person for Ebola virus disease (EVD), classifying contacts, or considering public health actions such as monitoring and movement restrictions based on exposure.[1]
High Risk
High risk includes any of the following[1]:
- Percutaneous (e.g., needle stick) or mucous membrane exposure to blood or body fluids of EVD patient while the patient was symptomatic
- Exposure to the blood or body fluids (including but not limited to feces, saliva, sweat, urine, vomit, and semen) of a person with Ebola while the person was symptomatic without appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE)
- Processing blood or body fluids of a person with Ebola while the person was symptomatic without appropriate PPE or standard biosafety precautions
- Direct contact with a dead body without appropriate PPE in a country with widespread Ebola virus transmission
- Having lived in the immediate household and provided direct care to a person with Ebola while the person was symptomatic
Some Risk
Some risk includes any of the following[1]:
- In countries with widespread Ebola virus transmission: direct contact while using appropriate PPE with a person with Ebola while the person was symptomatic
- Close contact in households, health care facilities, or community settings with a person with Ebola while the person was symptomatic. Close contact is defined as being for a prolonged period of time while not wearing appropriate PPE within approximately 3 feet (1 meter) of a person with Ebola while the person was symptomatic
Low Risk
Low (but not zero) risk exposure includes any of the following[1]:
- Having been in a country with widespread Ebola virus transmission within the past 21 days and having had no known exposures
- Having brief direct contact (e.g., shaking hands) while not wearing appropriate PPE, with a person with Ebola while the person was in the early stage of disease
- Brief proximity, such as being in the same room for a brief period of time, with a person with Ebola while the person was symptomatic
- In countries without widespread Ebola virus transmission: direct contact while using appropriate PPE with a person with Ebola while the person was symptomatic
- Traveled on an aircraft with a person with Ebola while the person was symptomatic
No Identifiable Risk
No identifiable risk includes[1]:
- Contact with an asymptomatic person who had contact with person with Ebola
- Contact with a person with Ebola before the person developed symptoms
- Having been more than 21 days previously in a country with widespread Ebola virus transmission
- Having been in a country without widespread Ebola virus transmission and not having any other exposures as defined above