Washington: The deadly Ebola virus may persist in survivors’ semen for more than two years after the onset of infection, according to a study.
Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the US Also detected the Ebola RNA virus in the semen of men who had previously had a negative test of their semen in some cases. These findings led the team to suggest the revision of the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines 2016 related to the sexual transmission of Ebola.
The guidelines ask men who survive Ebola virus disease (EVD) to take measures such as abstinence and condom use for at least 12 months after the onset of EVD or until their semen has been negative for RNA Of the Ebola virus twice.
Of the 149 men who provided samples, 13 were positive for the Ebola RNA virus. Of these 13 men, 11 had positive results even two years after the onset of Ebola infection. “Our finding of long-term persistence and intermittent detection of viral RNA in semen suggests that we need to change the way we think about Ebola since it is no longer just an acute disease but also one with potential long effects Deadline, “he said.
William A Fischer, assistant professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. “It is clear that in some survivors, evidence of the virus may remain in the male genital tract for extended periods of time with significant potential implications for transmission,” said Fischer, a co-author of the study published in the Open Forum Infectious Diseases magazine.
He noted that while the sexual transmission of Ebola has been documented before acute infection, it is not known whether the presence of RNA serves as a correlate for the infectious virus and if transmission from this distant is possible. The study team also reports that men whose samples tested positive for Ebola RNA were more likely to be higher than those with a negative result.
Those who had Ebola virus RNA detected in their semen also complained of vision problems at a higher rate than male survivors without evidence of Ebola virus RNA in their semen. Researchers recommend future studies investigate the source of viral persistence and whether viral RNA detection means the presence of infectious virus.
