Ebola outbreak in Kikwit, Democratic Republic of the Congo: discovery and control measures

The Ebola epidemic in Kikwit, Democratic Republic of the Congo, was recognized because of a nosocomial outbreak in Kikwit General Hospital. Initially, a diagnosis of shigella infection was suspected because many patients presented with bloody diarrhea. On 4 May 1995, blood samples from 14 acutely ill patients were sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Atlanta), and on 9 May, a diagnosis of Ebola hemorrhagic fever was confirmed. The major disease control measures that were undertaken were the isolation of patients in a quarantine ward at Kikwit General Hospital, the distribution of protective equipment to health care workers and family members caring for Ebola patients, the use of barrier nursing techniques, the distribution of health education material, active and passive case finding, and the burying of the deceased in plastic bags by a trained team of Red Cross volunteers who wore gloves and protective clothing.