The outbreak and control of Ebola viral haemorrhagic fever in a Ugandan medical school.
Uganda has just experienced the largest outbreak of Ebola haemorrhagic fever (EHF) ever recorded. Mbarara University Teaching Hospital (MUTH) is responsible for training approximately one-third of Uganda's doctors. Mbarara is located in SouthWest Uganda, 614 km from Gulu, the main epicentre of the outbreak. On 23 October a patient was admitted to the medical ward of MUTH with an acute fever. He soon exhibited haemorrhagic symptoms and died. He was later confirmed to have suffered Ebola. Three more patients subsequently contracted the disease. All died. There were no further cases in Mbarara. No members of staff or medical student was infected. We give details of the clinical features of those patients who contracted the disease, the setting up of an Ebola isolation unit, the case surveillance and the search for the source of the outbreak. The implications for similar institutions in East Africa are discussed.
Bitekyerezo
Medard
M
Mbarara University Teaching Hospital, Uganda.
Kyobutungi
Catherine
C
Kizza
Ruth
R
Mugeni
James
J
Munyarugero
Emmanuel
E
Tirwomwe
Francis
F
Twongyeirwe
Eunice
E
Muhindo
George
G
Nakibuuka
Victoria
V
Nakate
Maimuna
M
John
Laurence
L
Ruiz
Ana
A
Frame
Karen
K
Priotto
Gerardo
G
Pepper
Larry
L
Kabakyenga
Jerome
J
Baingana
Sheila
S
Ledo
Dennis
D
D000328:Adult; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005260:Female; D019142:Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006745:Hospital Bed Capacity, 300 to 499; D006757:Hospital Units; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010356:Patient Isolation; D012577:Schools, Medical; D014454:Uganda / Q000453:epidemiology