Ebola virus strain found in semen, breast milk months after infection: Study

US researchers have detected the Sudan Ebola virus strain in semen and breast milk among survivors about eight months after infection raising concerns about the potential for sexual and mothertochild transmissionNearly 60 per cent of the survivors of an outbreak in Uganda from 202223 reported ongoing and debilitating health issues even two years postinfection that interfered with their daily lives noted researchers at Washington State UniversityThis is the first time anyone has been able to closely follow Sudan Ebola survivors over the long term and the results show the virus continues to affect peoples lives well after an outbreak ends said lead researcher Kariuki Njenga Professor in the WSUs College of Veterinary MedicineJust as concerning is the fact we detected the virus in semen and breast milk which shows there is a risk survivors could pass on Ebola months after recovery Njenga addedEbola is a severe often fatal haemorrhagic fever in humans caused by four known strains Zaire Sudan Bundibugyo and Taiuml ForestThe Zaire and Sudan are the deadliest strains with case fatality rates ranging from 7590 per cent for Zaire and 5565 per cent for SudanThe study followed 87 survivors from the outbreak in Uganda alongside a control group of 176 community members who had not been infected Survivors reported symptoms affecting the musculoskeletal system 45 per cent central nervous system 36 per cent and eyes 20 per cent at much higher rates than those in the control groupHalf of the survivors reported multiple persistent symptoms including memory loss joint and back pain and depression that resulted in an inability to perform basic activities These symptoms remained consistent across the twoyear followup periodThese results point to a kind of long Ebola very similar to what the world has seen with long Covid Njenga said Symptoms did not significantly improve across two years of followup which is why longterm care and support for survivors are criticalResearchers stopped detecting the Sudan Ebola virus RNA in semen for up to 210 days and in breast milk for up to 199 days after infection In two men the virus reappeared in semen samples eight months after consecutive negative results suggesting possible latency and reactivationThe study comes amid the ongoing Ebola outbreak in Kasai Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo DRC As of Wednesday a total of 64 cases had been reported including 42 deaths while 12 patients have recovered and been dischargedThe Congolese government declared the outbreak on September 4 marking the countrys 16th Ebola outbreak since the virus was first identified in 1976 Xinhua news agency reported