Even after men test as Ebola-free, the virus may still be present in their semen for as long as nine months, according to research published in The New England Journal of Medicine.
The research reflects preliminary results from a long-term study conducted by the Sierra Leone Ministry of Health and Sanitation, the Sierra Leone Ministry of Defense, the World Health Organization and the CDC.
For the study, 93 Ebola survivors in Sierra Leone provided samples for testing after contracting Ebola, and the specimen were obtained at various times after the onset of the disease. The virus was detected in 46 of the specimens. The timeline is broken down below:
- Two to three months after onset of Ebola virus disease: All 9 men (100 percent)
- Four to six months after EVD onset: 26 of 40 (65 percent)
- Seven to nine months after EVD onset: 11 of 43 (26 percent)
- 10 months after onset: Indeterminate
The CDC is conducting further study of the samples to see if the remaining virus is live and could infect others.
"Ebola survivors face an increasing number of recognized health complications," said Tom Frieden, MD, director of the CDC. "This study provides important new information about the persistence of Ebola virus in semen and helps us make recommendations to survivors and their loved ones to help them stay healthy."