The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is now advising Ebola survivors to either abstain from sex or to use condoms.
Ebola virus has been found in the semen of some men who have recovered from Ebola. It is possible that Ebola could be spread through sex or other contact with semen. It is not known how long Ebola might be found in the semen of male Ebola survivors. The time it takes for Ebola to leave the semen is different for each man. Based on the results from limited studies conducted to date, it appears that the amount of virus decreases over time and eventually leaves the semen. Until more information is known, avoid contact with semen from a man who has had Ebola. It is not known if Ebola can be spread through sex or other contact with vaginal fluids from a woman who has had Ebola.
Huffingtonpost.ca reports:
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Earlier this year, a Liberian women contracted Ebola from a man who had recovered from the disease five months earlier, having initially being told he only had to use protection for three months.
The situation prompted a study that showed 11 out of 43 Ebola survivors still had signs of the virus in their semen, seven to nine months after they had been “cured.”
The study was published in the New England Journal of Medicine on Oct. 14, 2015.
