Ebola
Ebola Playbook
To help infection preventionists quickly activate Ebola prevention efforts, APIC’s Emerging Infectious Diseases Task Force has created an Ebola Playbook that IPs can download and customize for use in their facilities. The playbook is a concise workflow document that is designed to be user-friendly and operational for busy IPs.
About Ebola
- Ebola disease is caused by a group of four orthoebolaviruses that can infect humans and nonhuman primates
- Ebola is a severe disease with a high mortality rate (30-90%), depending on the species
- Ebola usually spreads from African fruit bats (animals) to humans
- Ebola can also spread from human to human via direct contact with an infected individual’s bodily fluids or through contact with contaminated surfaces
- Incubation Period: 2 to 21 days (average 8 to 10 days)
- Similar disease pattern characterized by viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF)
- First identified in 1976 during an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)
- The largest Ebola outbreak occurred in 2014-2016, originating in West Africa, but was then imported into multiple other countries (CDC, 2024), with over 28,600 cases reported.
Current Situation
- September 2025: The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Ministry of Public Health officially declared an outbreak
- This is the 16th Ebola outbreak in the DRC
- There have been no reported cases of Ebola in the United States related to this outbreak
- Click here for the most current information regarding the outbreak
Ebola is a high-consequence disease for which healthcare facilities must be prepared, which includes a plan for:
- Rapid identification/screening of at-risk individuals
- Transmission-based precautions
- Effective environmental disinfection
- Training, drills, readiness
- Facility planning, including triage zones, waste handling, and lab processes
APIC Resources and Tools
Click here to download the Ebola Playbook
- Developed by the APIC Emerging Infectious Diseases Task Force to help infection preventionists rapidly activate Ebola prevention efforts
- The playbook is a concise workflow document that is designed to be user-friendly and operational for busy IPs
Click here to download the APIC Ebola Readiness Poll, produced between 2014 and 2016.
Click Here to watch what IPs need to know about Ebola
- APIC’s Rapid Rundown video provides concise, high-yield summaries tailored for busy infection preventionists in under 3 minutes
Click Here to access the APIC Text – Chapter 95: Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers
- Chapter 95 of the APIC Text provides comprehensive guidance for an infection preventionist on Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers, including Ebola
Additional External Resources
