Ebola Virus Can Remain Active in Semen of Survivors for Up to 9 Months

The Ebola virus can remain active in the semen of men who have recovered from the disease for up to 9 months. According to Reuters, this finding comes from preliminary research aimed at examining the timeline and manner of the end of the epidemic in West Africa. Bruce Aylward, an Ebola specialist at the World Health Organization, states, "These results come at a very sensitive time. They remind us that although the number of Ebola cases has significantly decreased, survivors and their families still have to cope with its effects." Dr. Aylward noted that the 17,000 Ebola survivors in West Africa need to be monitored for up to twelve months to ensure their families do not contract the disease. In 2014, nearly 28,000 residents of West Africa were infected with Ebola, resulting in over 11,000 deaths, primarily in Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia. Experts say that now, after the main period of the epidemic has passed, they are able to study the long-term effects of the virus on survivors. Jonathan Ball, a molecular virologist at the University of Nottingham in the UK, told Reuters that the new research findings are concerning: "This means that the Ebola virus can survive in the reproductive system for a long time, months after it has been cleared from the blood, and this prolonged survival could lead to transmission to healthy individuals and consequently their infection." The recent study involved 93 men over 18 years old who had survived Ebola over a 10-month period. The Ebola virus was found in the semen of nearly a quarter of these individuals even after 9 months. Researchers state that since they do not know the reason for the virus's persistence in these individuals, there are still many unknowns about Ebola that could lead to another wave of the disease. The World Health Organization has advised male survivors to refrain from sexual intercourse until all their tests return negative or to use condoms and avoid contact with their semen.