title: The Medecins Sans Frontieres intervention in the Marburg hemorrhagic fever epidemic, Uige, Angola, 2005. II. lessons learned in the community.
abstract: From 27 March 2005 onwards, the independent humanitarian medical aid agency Medecins Sans Frontieres, together with the World Health Organization, the Angolan Ministry of Health, and others, responded to the Marburg hemorrhagic fever (MHF) outbreak in Uige, Angola, to contain the epidemic and care for those infected. This response included community epidemiological surveillance, clinical assessment and isolation of patients with MHF, safe burials and disinfection, home-based risk reduction, peripheral health facility support, psychosocial support, and information and education campaigns. Lessons were learned during the implementation of each outbreak control component, and the subsequent modifications of protocols and strategies are discussed. Similar to what was seen in previous filovirus hemorrhagic fever outbreaks, the containment of the MHF epidemic depended on the collaboration of the affected community. Actively involving all stakeholders from the start of the outbreak response is crucial.
authors.affiliation: Medecins Sans Frontieres, Barcelona, CP 08001, Spain. paul.roddy@barcelona.msf.org
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Roddy
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Weatherill
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jeffs
authors.forename: Zohra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Abaakouk
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dorion
authors.forename: Josefa
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rodriguez-Martinez
authors.forename: Pedro Pablo
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Palma
authors.forename: Olimpia
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: de la Rosa
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Villa
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Grovas
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Borchert
mesh_terms: D000810:Angola / Q000453:epidemiology; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D003153:Community Health Services; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005655:Funeral Rites; D006801:Humans; D008379:Marburg Virus Disease / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010564:Personnel, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010820:Physicians; D012944:Social Support; D016019:Survival Analysis