How Ebola Lingers Long-Term

Many studies have investigated the immediate and short-term impact of Ebola—but little is known about its long-term toll on those lucky enough to survive.
 
A new study of survivors of the 2013–2016 Ebola outbreak in Guinea sheds some light, finding that Ebola’s toll can still linger long after patients leave the treatment unit.
 
The research found that up to 2 years after recovering, survivors displayed severe immune system abnormalities and persistent immune activation associated with the virus, and substantial long-term gut damage.
 
The persistence of these abnormalities—without viral replication—may signal a chronic form of the disease, which researchers propose calling “CEVD.”
 
Nature