Blood, Sweat and Tears: Study Will Watch Ebola Survivors

NBC NEWS   by Maggie Fox                              June 17, 2015         

Does Ebola stay in your eyes after you recover? Can it spread via semen? Why does it cause achey joints?

U.S. researchers are launching a study in Liberia to take a look at survivors of the deadly virus to see just how common these long-term effects are, and whether they contribute to outbreaks.

"To unravel the many unknowns, we have expanded the focus of our partnership with Liberia's Ministry of Health to include research on the long-term health effects of Ebola virus disease, in addition to our ongoing efforts to find an effective preventive vaccine and treatments for Ebola virus disease," said Dr. Tony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease.

Liberia's health ministry and the NIAID will be studying 1,500 Ebola survivors and 6,000 of their close contacts. They'll look at sweat, tears, semen and other bodily fluids in the survivors and follow everyone for as long as five years.

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http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/ebola-virus-outbreak/blood-sweat-tears-study-watch-ebola-survivors-n377256