US researchers have found traces of the Sudan Ebola virus in the semen and breast milk of survivors, even eight months after their infection. This discovery highlights risks of sexual transmission and spread from mother to child long after recovery.
In a new study from Washington State University, nearly 60% of survivors from Uganda’s 2022-23 Ebola outbreak still face serious health problems two years later. These issues disrupt their everyday lives, from work to family routines.
“This marks the first in-depth, long-term look at Sudan Ebola survivors,” said lead researcher Kariuki Njenga, a professor at WSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine. “The virus keeps impacting lives well beyond the outbreak. And detecting it in semen and breast milk shows survivors could spread Ebola months after getting better.”
Ebola causes a deadly fever in people, with four main strains: Zaire, Sudan, Bundibugyo, and Taï Forest. The Zaire and Sudan strains pack the biggest punch—Zaire kills 75-90% of victims, while Sudan takes out 55-65%.
The team tracked 87 survivors from the Uganda outbreak and compared them to 176 uninfected locals. Survivors suffered far more from muscle and joint woes (45%), nervous system troubles like memory loss (36%), and eye problems (20%).
Over half dealt with several symptoms at once, including back pain, depression, and joint aches that made simple tasks impossible. These problems didn’t fade much over the two-year check-ins.
“It’s like ‘long Ebola,’ echoing what we’ve seen with long Covid,” Njenga explained. “Symptoms stayed steady, so survivors need ongoing care and support.”
Tests showed Sudan Ebola virus RNA lingering in semen for up to 210 days and in breast milk for 199 days post-infection. In two men, it even popped up again in semen samples after eight months of clean tests, hinting at the virus hiding and reactivating.
This research arrives as another Ebola outbreak rages in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Kasai Province. So far, officials report 64 cases, 42 deaths, and 12 recoveries. The government declared it on September 4—the country’s 16th Ebola outbreak since 1976.
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