Preparing for Serious Communicable Diseases in the United States: What the Ebola Virus Epidemic Has Taught Us

Microbiol Spectr. 2016 Jun;4(3):10.1128/microbiolspec.EI10-0011-2016. doi: 10.1128/microbiolspec.EI10-0011-2016.

Abstract

Ending the West Africa Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak required an unprecedented international response. For the United States, participation in the international response to the West Africa EVD outbreak provided an opportunity to learn important lessons in four key domains critical to preparing for future outbreaks of EVD and other serious communicable diseases: (i) safe and effective patient care, (ii) the role of experimental therapeutics and vaccines, (iii) infection control, and (iv) hospital and community preparedness.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Africa, Western / epidemiology
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / biosynthesis
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / therapeutic use
  • Communicable Diseases / epidemiology*
  • Communicable Diseases / transmission
  • Disease Outbreaks / prevention & control*
  • Ebola Vaccines / immunology
  • Ebola Vaccines / therapeutic use
  • Ebolavirus / pathogenicity*
  • Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola* / epidemiology
  • Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola* / prevention & control
  • Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola* / therapy
  • Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola* / transmission
  • Humans
  • Infection Control / methods*
  • Therapies, Investigational / methods
  • United States / epidemiology
  • Uveitis / microbiology

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Ebola Vaccines
  • ZMapp