Ebola virus: Awareness about the disease and personal protective measures among junior doctors of a tertiary hospital in Delhi, India

Abstract

Introduction:The Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak in West Africa in 2014 has affected >8 countries in the world and claimed >6000 lives so far. Health professionals are at increased risk of acquiring infection while attending to patients. Aims and Objectives: The present study aimed to determine the awareness about epidemiology of and role of personal protection measures from EVD among junior doctors of a tertiary hospital in Delhi, India. Materials and Methods: A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect information from the study participants. A total of 225 out of 370 junior doctors were included in the study. Results: All the study participants had heard about EVD, but only four-fi fth of them were aware of the correct route of transmission and source of infection of EVD. Only 40% of the study participants knew that reservoir of infection of EVD existed. >80% of the study participants felt the need for quarantine and restriction on travel to affected areas for control of the spread of EVD outbreak. Only 64% of the study participants knew that presently only supportive management exists for EVD and no approved vaccine is available. Almost 90% of the study participants emphasized on the role of personal protection in the prevention of the spread of EVD. Conclusion: The knowledge of junior doctors was sub-optimal and despite the stress on universal work precautions, not all felt the need to follow them for this disease which has such a high case fatality rate.

Ebola virus: A global public health menace: A narrative review

“…[4] Indian population is an impending threat to EVD, as India falls in the home range of Pteropodidae family of fruit bats. [5]…”

“…The World Health Organization (WHO) affirmed the EVD outbreak as a “Public Health Emergency of International Concern” on August 8 th , 2014. [5]…”