by Brianna Crandall — October 29, 2014—IEHA, an international professional member organization for persons employed in facility housekeeping at the management level, has released a fact sheet on Ebola that includes advice on how to clean facilities that have potentially been exposed to the Ebola virus.
Dr. Benjamin Tanner, founder and president of Antimicrobial Test Laboratories, Austin, Texas, offered these tips in an interview with IEHA:
- What specific measures should every professional take in light of the possible exposure to Ebola virus disease (EVD), even before symptoms are present? What about personal protective equipment (PPE)?
The level of PPE necessary depends primarily on the stage of disease when contact is made. Before symptoms arise, people infected with Ebola virus are less contagious (though likely still contagious to some degree), so an ordinary face mask, disposable gloves, a disposable gown, frequent handwashing, and avoiding face-touching are advisable.
Exposure to a person who is showing symptoms of EVD poses a much greater risk. In those instances I believe the maximum amount of protection available should be utilized, up to positive-pressure biohazard suits. Knowing how to carefully remove contaminated protective equipment after it is worn is a must.
- How should inanimate surfaces be disinfected?
Data suggest that Ebola virus is relatively easy to disinfect and it does not seem to survive for more than about a day when dry on surfaces However, every last viral particle must be killed because the infectious dose is very low. If a surface is known or suspected of contamination with Ebola virus, I recommend first using an absorbent material (preferably with an incorporated antimicrobial agent) to absorb any liquids that may be present like blood and urine. The used absorbent material will be highly biohazardous, so it must be disposed of and handled properly.
Then once “gross soil” has been removed, I recommend spraying the surface liberally with a virucidal disinfectant and then letting it stand for the entire contact time listed on the label, or at least five minutes. The surface should then be wiped with an absorbent cloth, and then the cloth should be disposed of as biohazard.
If the surface was contaminated by a person late in the stages of Ebola virus disease, very high numbers of viruses may be present, so I recommend repeating the disinfection step. In healthcare settings, rooms where the patient has been should be first decontaminated by a whole-room disinfection device, such as those that utilize UV or hydrogen peroxide, then cleaned and disinfected using ordinary disinfectants.
- Which EPA-registered disinfectants are effective?
A fresh 1:20 solution of bleach would be my first choice for surface disinfection, though I would expect most EPA-registered virucidal disinfectants to do the job.
- What types of “community engagement” and educational activities are key to successfully preventing or controlling outbreaks?
I think educational outreach activities should be focused on individual hygiene improvement and on avoiding contact with those who are infected and showing symptoms. I think that attempts to mollify the public and downplay the very real (though hopefully small) risk of an outbreak within the United States is counterproductive.
