Ebola Survives In Semen For Much Longer Than We Thought

This study provides further evidence that survivors need continued, substantial support for the next six to 12 months to meet these challenges and to ensure their partners  are not exposed to potential virus." In the study, 93 male Ebola survivors from Freetown, Sierra Leone, provided a semen sample during a range of two to 10 months after their symptoms first began. All of the men who got tested within three months of disease onset had traces of the virus in their semen, while 65 percent of men who were tested between four to six months showed signs of the virus. Finally, 26 percent of men tested between seven and nine months after disease onset tested positive for Ebola. The study participants were told about their test results, and provided with counseling and condoms.  The research is a collaboration between the Sierra Leonean government, the WHO and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the CDC is continuing to run tests on the samples to see if the virus found in the semen is live and potentially infectious.  There are over 8,000 male Ebola survivors in West Africa, and the WHO recommends that until a man tests negative twice for Ebola in his semen, he either abstain from sex or use a condom. They also recommend washing hands after any physical contact with semen.  In addition to the sexual side effects of Ebola survival, other survivors have described body and joint aches, fatigue and vision...
Source: Science - The Huffington Post - Category: Science Source Type: news