New York: Ebola virus can infect reproductive organs of
humans, according to a study conducted on macaques.
Prior studies of survivors
of the 2014-2016 Ebola outbreak in West Africa have revealed sexual
transmission of Ebola virus, and that viral RNA (Ebola virus genetic material)
can persist in semen following recovery.
While little is known
about viral persistence in female reproductive tissues, pregnant women with
Ebola virus disease have a maternal death rate of more than 80 per cent and a
foetal death rate of nearly 100 per cent.
Researchers from The
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in the US infected four
female and eight male macaques with the Makona variant of Ebola virus, the
variant responsible for the recent West Africa outbreak.
All the macaques succumbed
to Ebola disease and were euthanized six to nine days after infection.
The scientists then took
their reproductive tissue samples and analysed the samples for signs of Ebola
virus infection, organ and tissue damage, and immune responses.
They found widespread
Ebola virus infection of reproductive organs with minimal tissue immune response
or signs of disease.
Source:DNA-10th February,2018
