Epidemiologic characteristics, clinical manifestations, and risk factors of 139 patients with Ebola virus disease in western Sierra Leone.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to fully describe epidemiologic characteristics, clinical manifestations, and clinical outcomes of Ebola virus disease (EVD), as well as detect independent factors significantly associated with mortality of the disease.

METHODS: One hundred thirty-nine confirmed EVD patients enrolled at the JUI Holding and Treatment Centre in western Sierra Leone between November 15, 2014, and January 18, 2015, and demographic and clinical data were retrospectively collected and analyzed.

RESULTS: The median age of investigated patients was 29 years and 55.4% were women. Of them, 76 patients (54.7%) died and 63 patients (45.3%) were cured. Case fatality rate among male patients was higher than in female patients (69.4% vs 42.9%). Fatigue (82.0%), anorexia (70.5%), abdominal pain (59.7%), diarrhea (58.3%), vomiting (56.1%), fever (55.4%), and muscle pain (54.0%) were the most common symptoms. In addition, 55.4% of investigated patients reported fever. Bleeding was seen in 10.8% of patients.

CONCLUSIONS: Our data show that mortality of EVD is associated with an older age, fever, and probably hiccups.