Ebola Can Persist In Survivors’ Semen For Months, Study Shows

News outlets discuss findings from a study published Monday in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases looking at the presence and persistence of Ebola virus in survivors’ bodily fluids.

Agence France-Presse: ‘Low’ risk of getting Ebola from survivor: study
“The risk of catching Ebola from a survivor is generally low since the virus disappears from the blood within weeks, but it may persist in semen for many months, researchers said Monday…” (Sheridan, 2/29).

Washington Post: You’re unlikely to catch Ebola from a survivor — unless you have sex with them
“…70 percent of semen samples from survivors tested positive for the virus in the first seven months after the illness. This may have had serious implications during the latter days of the epidemic, when areas thought to be clear of the virus saw new cases of the disease cropping up…” (Cowart, 2/29).

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