title: Environmental Contamination and Persistence of Ebola Virus RNA in an Ebola Treatment Center.
abstract: Ebola viruses (EBOVs) are primarily transmitted by contact with infected body fluids. Ebola treatment centers (ETCs) contain areas that are exposed to body fluids through the care of patients suspected or confirmed to have EBOV disease. There are limited data documenting which areas/fomites within ETCs pose a risk for potential transmission. This study conducted environmental surveillance in 2 ETCs in Freetown, Sierra Leone, during the 2014-2016 West African Ebola outbreak.
  
  
  
  ETCs were surveyed over a 3-week period. Sites to be swabbed were identified with input from field personnel. Swab samples were collected and tested for the presence of EBOV RNA. Ebola-positive body fluid-impregnated cotton pads were serially sampled.
  
  
  
  General areas of both ETCs were negative for EBOV RNA. The immediate vicinity of patients was the area most likely to be positive for EBOV RNA. Personal protective equipment became positive during patient care, but chlorine solution washes rendered them negative.
  
  
  
  Personal protective equipment and patient environs do become positive for EBOV RNA, but careful attention to decontamination seems to remove it. EBOV RNA was not detected in general ward spaces. Careful attention to decontamination protocols seems to be important in minimizing the presence of EBOV RNA within ETC wards.
authors.affiliation: Public Health Agency of Canada Department of Medical Microbiology Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg.
authors.forename: Philippe Guillaume
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Poliquin
authors.affiliation: Department of Médecins Sans Frontières Operations Centre, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Florian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vogt
authors.affiliation: Department of Médecins Sans Frontières Suisse Operations Centre, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Miriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kasztura
authors.affiliation: Public Health Agency of Canada.
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Leung
authors.affiliation: Public Health Agency of Canada.
authors.forename: Yvon
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Deschambault
authors.affiliation: Department of Médecins Sans Frontières Operations Centre, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Van den Bergh
authors.affiliation: Department of Médecins Sans Frontières Suisse Operations Centre, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dorion
authors.affiliation: Department of Médecins Sans Frontières Operations Centre, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Maes
authors.affiliation: Department of Ministry of Health Services, Freetown, Sierra Leone.
authors.forename: Abdul
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kamara
authors.affiliation: Public Health Agency of Canada Department of Medical Microbiology.
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kobinger
authors.affiliation: Department of Médecins Sans Frontières Operations Centre, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Armand
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sprecher
authors.affiliation: Public Health Agency of Canada Department of Medical Microbiology Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg.
authors.forename: James E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Strong
mesh_terms: D001826:Body Fluids / Q000821:virology; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D029043:Ebolavirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004783:Environmental Microbiology; D050456:Fomites / Q000821:virology*; D006282:Health Personnel; D019142:Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D012306:Risk; D012807:Sierra Leone / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral
keywords: Ebola; decontamination; environmental contamination; infection prevention & control; outbreak; sodium hypochlorite