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. 2016 May 1;213(9):1462-5.
doi: 10.1093/infdis/jiv585. Epub 2015 Dec 9.

Moderate Thermal Strain in Healthcare Workers Wearing Personal Protective Equipment During Treatment and Care Activities in the Context of the 2014 Ebola Virus Disease Outbreak

Laurent Grélot  1 , Fassou Koulibaly  2 , Nancy Maugey  3 , Frédéric Janvier  4 , Vincent Foissaud  5 , Marc Aletti  5 , Hélène Savini  6 , Jean Cotte  4 , Henry Dampierre  7 , Hervé Granier  8 , Thierry Carmoi  9 , Emmanuel Sagui  10
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Moderate Thermal Strain in Healthcare Workers Wearing Personal Protective Equipment During Treatment and Care Activities in the Context of the 2014 Ebola Virus Disease Outbreak

Laurent Grélot et al. J Infect Dis. .

Abstract

The extent of thermal strain while wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) during care activities for Ebola virus disease patients has not yet been characterized. From January to March 2015, 25 French healthcare workers (HCWs) in Conakry, Guinea, volunteered to be monitored while wearing PPE using an ingestible thermal sensor. The mean (standard deviation) working ambient temperature and relative humidity were 29.6 °C (2.0 °C) and 65.4% (10.3%), respectively; the mean time wearing PPE was 65.7 (13.5) minutes; and the mean core body temperature increased by 0.46 °C (0.20 °C). Four HCWs reached or exceeded a mean core body temperature of ≥ 38.5 °C. HCWs wearing PPE for approximately 1 hour exhibited moderate but safe thermal strain.

Keywords: Ebola virus disease outbreak; core body temperature; healthcare workers; heat stress; personal protective equipment; treatment and care activities.

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