HealthTap Ebola National Townhall - news and updates for HealthTap doctors led by Infectious Disease experts.

1. EBOLA OUTBREAK UPDATE
October 26, 2014
John Leander Po MD, PhD
Clinical Associate Professor
ID Fellowship Program Director
Division of Infectious Diseases
University of Arizona College of Medicine
Geoffrey Rutledge MD, PhD
Chief Medical Officer and Cofounder, HealthTap+
DrRutledge@HealthTap.com

2. Ebola Update:
What every doctor needs to know
Agenda
•Introduction
•Ebola background and update
•Q & A for doctors
•Patients’ most commonly asked questions
•Key takeaway points for doctors
•Closing remarks

3. • Filoviridae Family
• Ebola, Marlburg
• Genus: Ebolavirus
• Pleomorphic, branched filament
• 14,000nm/80nm
• Enveloped ss RNA
• Glycoprotein=TIM-1 receptor binding
(epithelial cells)
• Respiratory tract, conjunctiva, skin,
body cavities
• Overwhelming production of virus
• Cytokine storm
• Vasc. Leakage, hemorrhage,
hypotension, multiorgan failure
Ebola
Virus
Biology

5. Ebola Virus
• Supportive
Treatment
– Fluids, electrolytes, O2
– Secondary infections
• Challenges
– Nebulous symptoms
– Catch-up due to misdiagnois
– Personal Protective clothing

6. 2014 Ebola Epidemic
Context
New York Times August 4, 2014

7. How did it get so bad?!?
• Poorest countries in
the World
• Ebola unfamiliarity
to Western Africa
• Infection prevention:
foreign concept
• Cultural practices
fosters contact
• Fear of hemorrhagic
virus infections
• Absence of vaccine or
treatment
• Easy and rapid global
travel
• Lackluster world
response

8. Ebola Virus
Infection Control
• Barrier Control
– Personal protective clothing
– Infection control measures
• Sterilization, disinfection, incineration
• Negative pressure, HEPA filtration
• In-room lab equipment
• Cumbersome

12. Context with other major infections
Influenza virus (4)
Up to 49,000 deaths

14. Dress rehearsals: Dr. Po demonstrates
"Donning & Doffing"

15. Key Takeaway points:
What every doctor should know about Ebola
- What is Ebola virus and what makes this
event unique?
- How is it transmitted and how do protect
ourselves?
- What the US is currently doing to avoid
the spread of the disease in this country?
- What do we tell our patients to limit their
fears of the disease?

16. What is Ebola virus and what makes this
event unique?
–Ebola virus is a filamentous virus that was originally
discovered in central Africa in 1976 and causes a life-threatening
hemorrhagic fever syndrome.
–This year's outbreak is the largest Ebola virus
epidemic ever recorded in human history, affecting
the poorest part of Africa: Guinea, Sierra Leone, and
Liberia.

17. How is it transmitted and how do protect
ourselves?
–The virus is spread by droplets of body fluid that
contact uninfected patients, or by contacting surfaces
contaminated with the virus.
–To protect ourselves, we limit the number of people
who come to close contact with infected patients, don
and doff personal protective equipment and institute
quarantines when appropriate.

18. What the US is currently doing to avoid the
spread of the disease in this country?
–CDC has initiated fever screening stations at five US
international airports where all incoming flights from
Africa are to land. Protocols to isolate and care for
infected patients have been devised and are
continually being revised when appropriate at the
national, state, county and local levels.

19. What do we tell our patients to limit their
fears of the disease?
–Patients need to understand the context of this
infection and how remote it is to become infected with
the Ebola virus compared to other infections that
have greater morbidity such as influenza virus
infection, measles, and mumps.

20. Frequently-asked questions on Ebola
1. Is there a cure for Ebola?
2. How is Ebola treated?
3. Are immunosuppressed people at
greater risk of contracting Ebola?
4. Does being on blood thinners put
people at greater risk of death from
Ebola from bleeding?
5. What are early and late symptoms of
Ebola?
6. How can I protect myself against
Ebola?
7. Can Ebola be spread by animals?
8. Why hazmat suits if Ebola isn't
airborne?
9. Is it safe for me to travel to Dallas
right now?
10. Are we close to finding a cure for
Ebola?
11. Will Ebola go viral?
12. How long does the Ebola virus live?
13. Where did the Ebola virus originate?
14. What's the difference between Ebola
and Simian Hemorrhagic Fever?
15. What's the difference between Ebola
and the Marburg virus?
16. Can virus latency remain with Ebola, so
people can infect even after
quarantine?
17. Can people who have already been
infected with Ebola get it again?
18. How is Ebola being contained?

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