Clinical and Occupational Predictors of Mortality in Ebola Virus Disease: A Commentary from the Democratic Republic of Congo (2018-2020).

Abstract

Background: This commentary analyzes demographic, clinical, and occupational characteristics associated with Ebola virus disease (EVD) outcomes during the 2018-2020 outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Methods: A total of 3477 EVD cases were included. Descriptive statistics and univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed to evaluate associations between clinical outcomes and patient characteristics. Comorbidity estimates and healthcare worker (HCW) occupational exposure data were incorporated based on the literature. Results: The median age was 26.5 years (SD = 16.1), with the majority (59.7%) aged 20-59. Males represented 51.3% of the cohort. Most patients (81.8%) worked in occupations that were not disease-exposing. Overall, 450 patients (12.9%) died. Although comorbidities initially appeared predictive of mortality (unadjusted HR: 3.05; 95% CI: 2.41-3.87), their effect was not statistically significant after adjustment (adjusted HR: 1.17; 95% CI: 0.87-1.59; p = 0.301). The strongest predictor of death was clinical status at admission: patients classified as "very sick" had an alarmingly high adjusted hazard ratio (HR) of 236.26 (95% CI: 33.18-1682.21; p < 0.001). Non-disease-exposing occupations were also associated with increased mortality (adjusted HR: 1.75; 95% CI: 1.33-2.31; p < 0.001). Conclusions: Despite improvements in outbreak response, mortality remains disproportionately high among patients presenting in critical condition and those outside the health sector. These findings underscore the importance of early detection strategies and enhanced protection for all occupational groups during EVD outbreaks.