title: Ebola Laboratory Response at the Eternal Love Winning Africa Campus, Monrovia, Liberia, 2014-2015.
abstract: West Africa experienced the first epidemic of Ebola virus infection, with by far the greatest number of cases in Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia. The unprecedented epidemic triggered an unparalleled response, including the deployment of multiple Ebola treatment units and mobile/field diagnostic laboratories. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention deployed a joint laboratory to Monrovia, Liberia, in August 2014 to support the newly founded Ebola treatment unit at the Eternal Love Winning Africa (ELWA) campus. The laboratory operated initially out of a tent structure but quickly moved into a fixed-wall building owing to severe weather conditions, the need for increased security, and the high sample volume. Until May 2015, when the laboratory closed, the site handled close to 6000 clinical specimens for Ebola virus diagnosis and supported the medical staff in case patient management. Laboratory operation and safety, as well as Ebola virus diagnostic assays, are described and discussed; in addition, lessons learned for future deployments are reviewed.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Virology.
authors.forename: Emmie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: de Wit
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Virology.
authors.forename: Kyle
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rosenke
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Virology.
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Fischer
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Virology.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marzi
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Virology.
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Prescott
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Virology.
authors.forename: Trenton
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bushmaker
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Virology.
authors.forename: Neeltje
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: van Doremalen
authors.affiliation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: Shannon L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Emery
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Virology.
authors.forename: Darryl
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Falzarano
authors.affiliation: Rocky Mountain Veterinary Branch, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana.
authors.forename: Friederike
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Feldmann
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Virology.
authors.forename: Allison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Groseth
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Virology.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hoenen
authors.affiliation: Center for Global Health, Division of Global Health Protection, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
authors.forename: Bonventure
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Juma
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Virology.
authors.forename: Kristin L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: McNally
authors.affiliation: Kenya Medical Research Institute, Center for Global Health Research, Nairobi.
authors.forename: Melvin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ochieng
authors.affiliation: Kenya Medical Research Institute, Center for Global Health Research, Nairobi.
authors.forename: Victor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Omballa
authors.affiliation: Center for Global Health, Division of Global Health Protection, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
authors.forename: Clayton O
authors.initials: CO
authors.lastname: Onyango
authors.affiliation: Kenya Medical Research Institute, Center for Global Health Research, Nairobi.
authors.forename: Collins
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Owuor
authors.affiliation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rowe
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Virology.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Safronetz
authors.affiliation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: Joshua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Self
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Virology.
authors.forename: Brandi N
authors.initials: BN
authors.lastname: Williamson
authors.affiliation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: Galina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zemtsova
authors.affiliation: Special Pathogens Program, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg.
authors.forename: Allen
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grolla
authors.affiliation: Special Pathogens Program, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg.
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kobinger
authors.affiliation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rayfield
authors.affiliation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: Ute
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Ströher
authors.affiliation: Special Pathogens Program, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg.
authors.forename: James E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Strong
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Virology.
authors.forename: Sonja M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Best
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Virology.
authors.forename: Hideki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ebihara
authors.affiliation: Cytokine Biology Section, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland.
authors.forename: Kathryn C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Zoon
authors.affiliation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: Stuart T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Nichol
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Monrovia.
authors.forename: Tolbert G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Nyenswah
authors.affiliation: Liberian Institute for Biomedical Research, Charlesville, Liberia.
authors.forename: Fatorma K
authors.initials: FK
authors.lastname: Bolay
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Monrovia.
authors.forename: Moses
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Massaquoi
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Virology.
authors.forename: Heinz
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Feldmann
authors.affiliation: Center for Global Health, Division of Global Health Protection, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
authors.forename: Barry
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Fields
mesh_terms: D000354:Africa, Western / Q000453:epidemiology; D002487:Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S.; D064790:Clinical Laboratory Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D029043:Ebolavirus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D058872:Epidemics / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D016701:Guinea / Q000453:epidemiology; D019142:Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007391:International Cooperation; D007988:Liberia / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D054579:National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (U.S.); D012449:Safety; D012807:Sierra Leone / Q000453:epidemiology; D014481:United States
keywords: Ebola virus; West Africa; diagnostics; epidemic; mobile laboratory