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Ebola RNA Persistence in Semen of Ebola Virus Disease Survivors - Preliminary Report

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submitted by Carrie La Jeunesse

                             

nejm.org - October 14, 2015 - DOI: 10.1056/NEJMe1512928

The number of new cases of Ebola virus disease (EVD) in western Africa has declined from a peak of 1063 cases in the week of October 9, 2014, to fewer than 10 confirmed cases per week for 11 consecutive weeks as of October 7, 2015. The main mode of transmission is direct contact with the blood or body fluids of a person with EVD or from the body of a person who died from EVD. However, Ebola virus can persist in the body fluids of survivors during convalescence, which may result in transmission of the virus. The potential for the persistence of Ebola virus in the semen of male survivors raises concern regarding the possible transmission of the virus to sexual partners.

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The risk of transmission is low, but could become a focus once West Africa is declared Ebola-free.

nature.com - by Declan Butler - October 16, 2015

It has long been known that the Ebola virus can remain in semen for months after patients have recovered from the disease. But two studies published on 14 October in the New England Journal of Medicine have raised concerns that sexual transmission of the virus might cause flare-ups of Ebola in West Africa after the region has been declared Ebola-free. Nature explains the implications of the findings.

What did the studies show?

One study [is posted in the article above].

The other study confirms the first known case of sexual transmission of Ebola, to a woman in Liberia. . . [see links below]

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CLICK HERE - STUDY - Molecular Evidence of Sexual Transmission of Ebola Virus

CLICK HERE - CDC - Preliminary study finds that Ebola virus fragments can persist in the semen of some survivors for at least nine months

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