Key data for outbreak evaluation: building on the Ebola experience

Cori, Anne; Donnelly, Christl A.; Dorigatti, Ilaria; Ferguson, Neil M.; Fraser, Christophe; Garske, Tini; Jombart, Thibaut; Nedjati-Gilani, Gemma; Nouvellet, Pierre; Riley, Steven; Van Kerkhove, Maria D.; Mills, Harriet L.; Blake, Isobel M.

Analysis of laboratory results and sequence data can be much more powerful if they can be dated and linked to the epidemiological data recorded for each case. In the early stages of the Ebola response, there were reports that laboratory results could not always be linked to case records as labels were incorrectly written or damaged in transit [81] . Later in the epidemic, case report forms came with pre-printed unique ID barcode stickers to label all records and samples for each case (electronic supplementary material, Form S2). This would be useful if implemented early in future outbreaks, particularly if laboratory tests are not performed at the point of care. Rapid diagnostic tests were developed during the West African Ebola epidemic but not used widely [143, 144] ; similarly, mobile sequence tests were introduced later in the epidemic [145] : both of these would reduce delays and maximize the potential to link patient data.