Table 1. Behavioral guidance for positive qRT-PCR test results on body fluid specimens.
| Semen | Vaginal fluid | Menstrual blood | Urine | Rectal fluid | Sweat | Tears | Saliva | Breast milk | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Timing of guidance delivery | |||||||||
| • EBOV persistence pre-test counseling | ✓ | ||||||||
| • EBOV persistence post-test counselling | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Sexual risk reduction guidance | |||||||||
| • Abstain from manual, oral, vaginal or anal sex. If you have sex, use a male or female condom. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
| • Abstain only | ✓ | ||||||||
| • Abstain from kissing and oral sex only | ✓ | ||||||||
| • Avoid kissing and touching of breasts during sex | ✓ | ✓ | |||||||
| Sexual risk reduction guidance if sexual activity occurs | |||||||||
| • After sex, masturbation, or any genital contact, wash and dry or thoroughly and wipe genital and anal area with a clean towel or tissue but do not use the same towel or tissue on both areas | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
| • Safely throw away tissues with body fluids, and/or used condom somewhere where other people cannot touch it, like a covered bin, pit latrine, or burn pit. For towels, wash in hot water before reusing | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
| • After sex or any genital contact, wash hands thoroughly with soap and water | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
| • No sexual risk reduction guidance | ✓ | ||||||||
| General infection prevention and control (IPC) guidance | |||||||||
| • Wash hands often with soap and water | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| • Try not to touch your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| • After urinating or defecating, wash hands well with soap and water. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
| • Cover your mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing. | ✓ | ||||||||
| • Do not share personal items such as razors, toothbrushes or eating utensils with others | ✓ | ✓ | |||||||
| • Use clean tissues or towels to wipe body, hands, mouth, eyes | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||||
| Breastfeeding guidance | |||||||||
| • Do not breastfeed until pieces of the Ebola virus are not detected in two consecutive specimens | ✓ |
✓ Indicates guidance delivered for positive qRT-PCR test results for that particular body fluid. Participants were counseled to continue following the guidance until they tested qRT-PCR negative twice consecutively.