Incidence, Predictors and Survival Outcomes of Secondary Transmission of Ebola among Contacts in Central Uganda, 2022: a Retrospective Cohort Study.

Muhamed Mulongo, Busitema University, Faculty of Health Sciences
Peter Olupot-Olupot, MICRI and NUFHS
Lubaale A Yovani Moses, Makerere University, Institute of Statistics And Applied Economics,

Ebola disease (EBOD) is a zoonotic, highly fatal viral hemorrhagic fever. Globally, since it was first discovered, it has caused 43 outbreaks to date, mostly in Africa. The largest EBOD outbreak was in West Africa in 2014. Uganda is highly prone to EBOD outbreaks and experienced 6 outbreaks since 2000. The latest outbreak in Uganda was in 2022 in which 142 cases were confirmed, with a case fatality rate of 39%. Secondary transmission is a major determinant of the size and complexity of EBOD breaks. A retrospective cohort study was conducted using records of contacts and EBOD cases collected by surveillance teams during the 2022 Ebola virus disease outbreak in Central Uganda. Secondary transmission was determined using incidence rates, mean incubation days at identification of contacts, and median incubation days at diagnosis. Predictors for secondary transmission were relationship to the dead, housing type and isolation after burial.