Ebola Virus Can Remain In Semen For Over A Year In Men Who Survived Infection
The longterm persistence of the virus is a key concern in understanding how the disease is transmitted. "Before this outbreak, scientists believed that Ebola virus could be found in semen for three months after recovery," said Dr. Moses Soka of the Liberian Ministry of Health, who helped conduct the study. "With this study, we now know that virus may persist for a year or longer."
The Washington Post:
Ebola Stayed In The Semen Of One Man For 565 Days
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned late Tuesday that Ebola lingers in semen much longer than previously believed, underscoring how much we still don't understand about the virus. Researchers initially thought that once people survived Ebola they were immune and could no longer get sick and transmit the virus to others, as is the case with many other infectious diseases we're familiar with, such as chickenpox and even the bubonic plague. Then cases emerged like that of Scottish nurse Pauline Cafferkey, who was thought to have recovered but then had several relapses. American physician Ian Crozier's left eye turned from blue to green because of the virus that remained in his body. (Cha, 8/30)
NBC News:
Ebola Lingers For More Than A Year In Semen
The Ebola virus can linger for a year or even longer in the semen of some men, researchers reported Tuesday. That means that Ebola survivors could be an important source for re-igniting outbreaks of the deadly virus, which killed more than 11,000 people in in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia in a two-year epidemic that ended earlier this year. (Fox, 8/30)
