What are the current guidelines for post-exposure prophylaxis in healthcare workers who may have been exposed to VHF?

Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) for healthcare workers potentially exposed to viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF) primarily involves immediate risk assessment, strict adherence to infection prevention protocols, and supportive care rather than a universally established antiviral prophylaxis regimen. Healthcare workers must promptly decontaminate hands and use appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) to prevent transmission, as per UK infection control standards emphasizing hand hygiene and PPE use after any exposure to body fluids or contaminated materials ¹.

In the event of suspected exposure to VHF, such as Ebola virus, the current UK guidelines recommend immediate isolation of the exposed individual and notification of specialist infectious disease teams for risk stratification and management ¹. There is no routine antiviral PEP licensed in the UK for VHF; however, supportive care and monitoring for symptoms are critical. Vaccination against certain VHFs (e.g., Ebola vaccine) may be considered in outbreak or high-risk settings but is not standard post-exposure prophylaxis in routine healthcare settings ¹.

Recent clinical management literature from well-resourced settings highlights that PEP for Ebola virus disease focuses on early identification, supportive treatment, and experimental use of antiviral agents or monoclonal antibodies under clinical trial or compassionate use protocols rather than established prophylactic regimens (Kato, 2015). This underscores the importance of prevention through strict infection control measures and rapid clinical response rather than reliance on pharmacological PEP.

In summary, the current UK guidelines emphasize prevention through rigorous infection control practices, immediate hand decontamination, use of PPE, and specialist referral for exposed healthcare workers, with no routine antiviral post-exposure prophylaxis recommended. Clinical literature supports this approach and notes that antiviral treatments remain investigational and are not standard PEP.