Prognostic and predictive factors of ebola virus disease outcome in elderly people during the 2014 outbreak in Guinea

Elderly people occupy a prominent position in African societies; however, their potential linkage to high case fatality rate (CFR) in Ebola virus disease (EVD) was often overlooked.Wedescribe the predictive factors for EVD lethality in the elderly. A total of 2,004 adults and 309 elderly patients with confirmed EVD were included in the analysis. The median age (interquartile range) was 35 years (23-44) in adults and 65 years (60-70) in the elderly. The proportion of funeral participation was significantly higher in the elderly group than in the adult group. Duration (in days) between the onset of symptoms and admission was significantly longer in elderly. CFR in the elderly people was also significantly higher (80.6%) than in the adult group (66.2%). Funeral participation constituted a risk factor for the transmission of EVD in elderly people.