Table 3 Definition and assessment of risk exposure [23, 34–36]
From: Outbreaks of Ebola virus disease in Africa: the beginnings of a tragic saga
Risk level | Definition |
|---|---|
High-risk exposure | • Percutaneous injury, e.g. needlestick, or mucous membrane exposure to body fluids of an EVD patient |
• Direct care or exposure to body fluids of an EVD patient without appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) | |
• Laboratory worker processing body fluids of confirmed EVD patients without appropriate PPE or standard biosafety precautions | |
• Participation in funeral rites that include direct contact with human remains in the geographic area where an outbreak is occurring without appropriate PPE | |
Low-risk exposure | • Household member or other casual contact1 with an EVD patient |
• Providing patient care or casual contact1 without high-risk exposure with EVD patients in health care facilities in EVD outbreak affected countries | |
No known exposure | Persons with no known exposure were present in an EVD outbreak affected country in the past 21 days with no low-risk or high-risk exposures |
1Casual contact is defined as (i) being within approximately 3 feet (1 meter) or within the room or care area for a prolonged period of time (e.g. healthcare personnel, household members) while not wearing recommended personal protective equipment; or (ii) having direct brief contact (e.g., shaking hands) with an EVD case while not wearing recommended personal protective equipment |