Age-specific incidence of Ebola virus disease

摘要

It has been noted in the present and previous Ebola epidemics that children are relatively spared.1–3 This has been attributed to their lower exposure compared with adults—children might be kept away from the sick2 and they might be less exposed at funerals and in funeral preparations. However, in household contacts in the 1995 Kikwit Figure: Incidence of confi rmed and probable Ebola virus disease in 2014 by age group(A) Incidence per 100 000 population. (B) Relative incidence—ie, incidence in each age group divided by total incidence in that country. (C) Estimated relative incidence excluding health-care workers.020406080100120140160180Incidence (per 100000 population)AAll confirmed and probable casesLiberiaSierra LeoneGuinea00·51·01·52·02·5Relative incidenceBAll confirmed and probable cases0–45–1415–2425–3435–4445–5455–64≥6500·51·01·52·02·5Relative incidenceAge groupCExcluding health-care workersFor the population data from the US Bureau of the Census see http://www.census.gov/population/international/data/idb/informationGateway.phpFor the Ebola situation reportsee http://apps.who.int/ebola/en/status-outbreak/situation-reports/ebola-situation-report-31-december-2014epidemic, the increased risk of disease in adults compared with children persisted after adjusting for exposure.4Absent from the discussion is how the disease rate varies in adults. Up to now, only broad age groups (16–44 years and ≥45 years) have been reported in the present epidemic and suggest a higher incidence in the older age group.