Personal protective equipment for viral hemorrhagic fevers

Area of Science:

• Infectious Diseases
• Public Health
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Viral hemorrhagic fevers (VHFs) are a group of diseases caused by various viruses, often leading to severe illness and high mortality rates.
• Human-to-human transmission is a significant concern for certain VHFs, necessitating robust infection prevention and control (IPC) measures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review VHFs with reported human-to-human transmission.
• To provide updates on personal protective equipment (PPE) for healthcare personnel (HCP) and others involved in VHF patient care.
• To summarize information on appropriate PPE use, training, compliance, and challenges faced by HCP.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on VHFs and PPE.
• Synthesis of information regarding PPE use, training, and compliance in both endemic and nonendemic settings.
• Identification of challenges impacting proper PPE utilization by HCP.

Main Results:

• PPE is essential for protecting HCP from VHF pathogens, with standard precautions effectively interrupting transmission.
• Unclear protocols, inconsistent training, climate, and cultural factors can hinder proper PPE use.
• While basic PPE elements are foundational, conclusive evidence on the ideal PPE ensemble for VHF care is lacking.

Conclusions:

• Stringent IPC practices and appropriate PPE are critical for reducing VHF transmission risk to HCP.
• Addressing challenges related to comfort, compliance, training, and usability is necessary for effective PPE implementation.
• Further research is needed to determine optimal PPE ensembles for diverse clinical settings caring for VHF patients.