An Ebola Outbreak: Lessons from the 2014-2015 Epidemic

This book recounts the Ebola Virus Outbreak of 2014-2015 by merging clinical and diagnostic issues with behavioral and political factors. Lessons learned are intended to help future respondents by improving coordination and collaboration. The book begins with a report of an earlier prediction of an impending outbreak based on serological evidence from a decade earlier. This warning was ignored. As a result, early cases of Ebola and efforts to control the epidemic were hindered by old approaches, and human behavior, facilitating the spread of the virus, worsening the outbreak. This is a case study of failures and successes highlighted by the struggle to halt this devastating epidemic.

Key selling features:

• Provides a concise overview of an outbreak that captured special public attention
• Focuses upon both clinical and diagnostic aspects of the epidemic
• Documents important lessons learned from this outbreak that can provide guidance for inevitable future epidemics
• Illustrates the important role played by preparation for outbreaks
• Explores the role of human behavior on disease spread

Dr. Olinger serves as an adjunct Associate Professor Faculty member of Boston University, School of Medicine, Department of Medicine, and Division of Infectious Diseases. In addition, he oversees and manages the BSL-4 training program as the Associate Director of Training for Boston University’s National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratory (NEIDL). He serves as high containment coordinator for the NIH Integrated Research Facility (IRF) in Frederick, MD., as a contractor and is the science lead for the contract supporting the NIH IRF BSL4 laboratory. Dr. Olinger is a co-founder, equity owner, and serves as the Chief Science Officer for Phoenix Research Group. In this role he oversees the science within high containment laboratories and in deployed field operations. Dr. Olinger has greater than 16 years’ experience coordinating, executing, and analyzing in vitro and in vivo studies conducted in BSL3 and BSL4. He has extensive experience with overseeing contract based research for extramural clients, including companies, academic institutions, and NGOs. He has overseen and conducted numerous projects focused on the development of countermeasures against highly lethal viral hemorrhagic fever viruses (VHFV). Dr. Olinger was the lead in the transition of a vaccine candidate for filovirus from basic to applied and early pre-clinical studies. Several of these vaccines are now being advanced for Phase I and Phase 2/3 clinical studies. During that same period, Dr. Olinger was an integral member and principle investigator of efforts to utilize immunotherapy against VHFV. His work has focused on the development of murine and humanized monoclonal antibody and emerging plant based production methods against Ebola Zaire virus under both DOD and NIH funding. This work was instrumental in the development of the ZMapp immunotherapeutic for Ebola. Continuing the effort to develop therapeutics against VHFV, Dr. Olinger’s team began to screen small molecules to identify VHVF antivirals in 2007. These drug discovery efforts have led to an established effort to find therapeutic molecules for nine viral emerging and biodefense diseases. Dr. Olinger has extensive field experience where he served as a member, science leader coordinating diagnostic, serological and other clinical assays to monitor patients during and after outbreaks. Dr. Olinger has served as a subject matter expert for multiple Federal panels related to biodefense and emerging viral pathogens. He has served on WHO, DHS, DHHS, and NGOs as a SME for these topics and as a reviewer for HIV and safety training research.