CDC: Heed patient travel history when evaluating for Ebola

In light of recent events, the CDC’s Health Alert Network recently published guidelines for health care professionals on evaluating patients for possible Ebola virus.

The first case of Ebola diagnosed in the US was reported to the CDC on Sept. 28, 2014 and laboratory-confirmed by the CDC and the Texas Laboratory Response Network on Sept. 30. The patient arrived in Dallas on Sept. 20 after departing from Monrovia, Liberia on Sept. 19. He was asymptomatic during travel and upon arrival in the US, according to the CDC.

The CDC reminds health care professionals and officials to:

Increase their vigilance in inquiring about a history of travel to West Africa in the 21 days prior to illness onset for any patient presenting with fever or other Ebola symptoms;
Isolate patients who report a travel history to a country affected by Ebola, which currently includes Liberia, Sierra Leona and Guinea, and who exhibit Ebola symptoms to a private room with a private bathroom. Physicians should implement standard, contact and droplet precautions; and
Immediately notify the local and state health departments.

The CDC’s Health Alert Network reminds physicians that “early recognition is critical to controlling the spread of Ebola virus.”

For more information:

The Ebola algorithm for the evaluation of a returned traveler and the checklist for evaluation of a patient for Ebola are available here: http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/pdf/ebola-algorithm.pdf and http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/pdf/checklist-patients-evaluated-us-evd.pdf.

Visit http://emergency.cdc.gov/han/han00371.asp for guidance documents and additional information on the clinical presentation and course of Ebola virus, infection control and patient management.