Ebola Outbreak Highlights Global Disparities in Healthcare Resources

Article

The outbreak of Ebola virus disease that has claimed more than 1,000 lives in West Africa this year poses a serious, ongoing threat to that region: the spread to capital cities and Nigeria-Africa's most populous nation-presents new challenges for healthcare professionals. The situation has garnered significant attention and fear around the world, but proven public health measures and sharpened clinical vigilance will contain the epidemic and thwart a global spread, according to a new commentary by Anthony S. Fauci, MD, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health.

This is a colorized scanning electron micrograph of filamentous Ebola virus particles (green) attached to and budding from a chronically infected VERO E6 cell (blue) (25,000x magnification).

The outbreak of Ebola virus disease that has claimed more than 1,000 lives in West Africa this year poses a serious, ongoing threat to that region: the spread to capital cities and Nigeria-Africa's most populous nation-presents new challenges for healthcare professionals. The situation has garnered significant attention and fear around the world, but proven public health measures and sharpened clinical vigilance will contain the epidemic and thwart a global spread, according to a new commentary by Anthony S. Fauci, MD, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health.

In the article, Fauci provides background on the Ebola virus, describes the transmission factors and clinical symptoms associated with infection, and highlights the healthcare and socio-economic issues that have fueled the Ebola epidemic in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. Although global air travel may carry an unknowingly Ebola-infected person to the United States or other affluent country at some point, the risk of the traveler triggering an outbreak is extremely small because those countries-in contrast to West Africa-have the public health resources and infrastructure to: isolate suspected cases, provide advanced supportive medical care for the infected, trace and monitor the contacts of infected individuals, and properly handle biohazardous materials, Fauci writes.

The article briefly describes the investigational Ebola treatments and vaccines currently under accelerated development but cautions against "premature deployment of unproven interventions" that could further strain the relationship between healthcare professionals and patients in West Africa. "Sound public health practices, engagement with affected communities, and considerable international assistance and global solidarity will be needed to defeat Ebola in West Africa," Fauci concludes.

Reference: Fauci AS. Ebola: Underscoring the Global Disparities of Health Care Resources. New England Journal of Medicine DOI:10.1056/NEJMp1409494.

Source: National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Recent Videos
Pathogen Playbook Presenter: Sharon Ward-Fore, BS, MS, MT(ASCP), CIC, FAPIC
Mark Wiencek, PhD
Rebecca Crapanzano-Sigafoos, DrPH, CIC, AL-CIP, FAPIC
The CDC’s updated hospital respiratory reporting requirement has added new layers of responsibility for infection preventionists. Karen Jones, MPH, RN, CIC, FAPIC, clinical program manager at Wolters Kluwer, breaks down what it means and how IPs can adapt.
Studying for the CIC using a digital tablet and computer (Adobe Stock 335828989 by NIKCOA)
Infection Control Today's Conversations with the HSPA President, Arlene Bush, CRCST, CER, CIS, SME, DSMD, CRMST
Infection Control Today's Conversations with the HSPA President, Arlene Bush, CRCST, CER, CIS, SME, DSMD, CRMST
Cheron Rojo, BS, FCS, CHL,  CER, CFER, CRCST
Matthias Tschoerner, Dr Sc
Standardizing Cleaning and Disinfection
Related Content