The Ebola saga is ongoing for the eight Americans who contracted the virus in 2014. Researchers who surveyed the group approximately five months after being discharged from the hospital found they are still suffering significant health problems even after they were clear of the virus, according to a letter published in The New England Journal of Medicine.
Only one of the eight has reported complete resolution of all symptoms, according to the letter. Of the group, six reported experiencing hair loss, joint pain and fatigue. Six also said they were experiencing cognitive and psychological symptoms, including memory loss, insomnia, anxiety and depression. One patient was treated for peripheral nerve damage.
"The story is not over in Ebola virus patients once they're discharged and go home," lead researcher Tim Uyeki, MD, the clinical team lead for the Ebola response mounted by the CDC, said in a statement. "They may suffer from a wide range of illnesses."
The researchers are uncertain why the virus is linked to these long-term health effects, which also include eye inflammation, hearing loss, insomnia and muscle pain, the researchers said. However, the symptoms are similar to those that arise from Dengue fever, a hemorrhagic illness like Ebola.
Currently, the patients are being treated on a symptom-by-symptom basis, according to Dr. Uyeki. The NIH is gearing up for an extensive study in Africa that will focus on determining the long-term health challenges Ebola survivors may face.