On October 19, 2022, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it activated its emerging viral pathogen (EVP) guidance in support of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) response to the Ebola virus cases in western Uganda. With EPA’s EVP guidance, additional disinfectants, for which EVP claims have been approved, can be used against the Ebola virus.

According to EPA’s press release, EPA developed its EVP guidance to aid in the availability of EPA-registered disinfectants for use against EVPs. EPA states that it divides viruses into three tiers based on how difficult they are to kill. The Ebola virus falls into Tier 1, the category of viruses that are easiest to kill. EPA expects disinfectants qualified for use against any EVPs in Tiers 1, 2, and 3 to be effective against the Ebola virus when used according to the label use directions.  To find these products, EPA recommends searching its list of disinfectants and filter for products for use on Tier 1 viruses.

EPA states the use of products with EVP claims supplements but does not replace other infection control practices. Individuals should follow CDC, state, and local public health guidelines.

According to EPA, EPA’s website “provides the list of products registered for use against Ebola, and list of disinfectants for emerging viral pathogens.”

Additional information on EVP guidance is available on our blog.

Dana S. Lateulere also contributed to this blog.