Ebola survivors retain serious sequelae Months after their recovery, Ebola survivors often suffer from visual disturbances up to blindness, hearing problems and joint pain, according to a study that assesses for the first time the seriousness of the legacy of the virus

This is the first time that doctors studying the extent of sequelae Ebola patients based on clinical examination, say the authors of the study published today in the specialized medical journal, The Lancet Infectious Diseases.

The research was conducted using data collected from patients in clinical Ebola survivors in Port Loko in Sierra Leone, one of the West African countries hardest hit by the epidemic.

The scientific data on the effects of Ebola were previously limited because during previous epidemics, there were few survivors. The research was also focused exclusively on the fight against the virus and the development of a vaccine. Since last year, WHO found, however, complications in many survivors, evoking a "post-Ebola Syndrome".

A total of 277 survivors (57% women) were examined for this study between March 7 and April 24, four months on average after their recovery. 76% of them suffered from arthritis, 60% of vision problems, 18% of inflammation in the eye (potentially sight-threatening) and 24% of hearing disorders such as tinnitus.

"These figures are higher than what we expected," he told AFP one of the authors of the study, Sharmistha Mishra of the University of Toronto.

However, researchers admit that "there are important limitations to this study," since they did not have a basis for comparison with a group not infected with Ebola patients. They have not been able to measure accurately hearing disorders in the absence of necessary equipment.

Another problem: "At this stage we do not know" the duration of these effects, they acknowledged. But they suggest a study in Uganda two and half years after the epidemic of 2007, which reported persistent symptoms for more than two years.

Symptoms that require care specialists

If the Ebola virus is rapidly disappearing from most bodily fluids after healing, may remain "websites sanctuaries" in the eyes or testicles, also argue the researchers, including Dr. John Mattia, one of the few ophthalmologists Sierra Leone.

In the study researchers also suggest a possible correlation between the amount of virus in patients and extent of complications after recovery. In other words, the virus would be more virulent plus sequelae, in particular eye, would be important.

"These studies highlight the need for early monitoring of Ebola survivors and urgency to include eye care in the West African country health systems." Because "these symptoms can be very severe and disabling," told AFP the Dr. John and Dr. Matthew Mattia Vandy.

In these countries' access to even basic health care is difficult, and specialists such as ophthalmologists are rare. "

In June, Liberia, he announced the launch of a major study over a period of five years, based on thousands of volunteers to identify long-term effects of the virus.