Page 15 - HOSPITAAL

A28 SCIENCE
Wednesday 25 July 2018
Doctors: Woman likely spread Ebola a year after infection

By MARIA CHENG the viruses taken from the lead author.
AP Medical Writer father, the two boys and Dokubo said it was pos-
LONDON (AP) — A Libe- the strain circulating dur- sible the woman infected
rian woman who probably ing the 2014-15 outbreak her husband and two older
caught Ebola in 2014 may across Liberia, Guinea and sons with Ebola when they
have infected three rela- Sierra Leone, which ulti- took care of her — the dis-
tives a year after she first mately killed more than ease is normally spread
fell sick, doctors reported in 11,000 people in the big- through contact with an
a study published Monday. gest Ebola epidemic in his- infected patient's blood or
There have been previous tory. other bodily fluids. The case
instances of men spreading Scientists discovered the report was published online
Ebola to women via sexual woman had cared for her Monday in the journal Lan-
transmission — the virus can brother in July 2014, who cet.
survive in semen for more died after suffering Ebola- "There isn't complete evi-
than a year — but the new like symptoms but before dence to reconstruct what
case is the first time scien- being tested for the dis- happened, but this is the
tists have suggested that ease. The woman later ex- most likely scenario," said
Ebola was spread from a This undated colorized transmission electron micrograph perienced a similar illness, Lorenzo Subissi, an epide-
woman after such a pro- image made available by the Centers for Disease Control and but never sought care. miologist at Sciensano, a
longed period. Prevention shows an Ebola virion. Several weeks after giving Belgian research institute,
The rare possibility of Ebola Associated Press birth to a baby in Septem- who was not part of the
spreading long after infec- ber 2015, the woman de- study.
tion highlights the impor- cape the antibodies from three younger sons. veloped problems includ- Dokubo said such cases of
tance of monitoring sur- a body's immune system, The 15-year-old died a few ing fatigue and breathing Ebola re-emergence are
vivors, especially with the so there is a need for vigi- days later. The father and difficulties. Doctors say that exceptional, with only two
imminent end of the most lance," said Dr. David Hey- an 8-year-old boy were because pregnancy low- reported instances: a Scot-
recent flare-up of the dis- mann, a professor of infec- positive for Ebola, but both ers the body's immune de- tish nurse who developed
ease in Congo. That coun- tious diseases at the Lon- recovered. The couple's fenses, that may have al- meningitis caused by Ebola
try's latest outbreak, an- don School of Hygiene and 5-year-old son wasn't in- lowed for the Ebola virus to hidden in her brain and an
nounced in May, has so Tropical Medicine, who fected. re-emerge. American physician who
far recorded 38 confirmed was not linked to the new Doctors found Ebola an- "The suspicious illness she had lingering virus in his
cases, including 14 deaths. research. tibodies in the mother, had following delivery may eye. In those two cases, the
It is due to be declared The unusual cluster of cas- her breast milk and her have been a re-activation virus did not spread any fur-
contained on Wednesday, es in Liberia was identified 2-month-old baby, suggest- of Ebola, but we have no ther. "We don't want there
which will mark 42 days, after the woman's 15-year- ing a previous infection and confirmatory tests," said Dr. to be a sense of compla-
or two incubation periods, old son was diagnosed with the possibility she passed Emily Kainne Dokubo, who cency with people thinking
since the last case was re- Ebola in November 2015. on protection to her infant led the Ebola response in that just because the out-
corded. Scientists then tested the son through breastfeeding. Liberia for the U.S. Centers break is over, there's noth-
"The Ebola virus hides in rest of his family: the wom- Researchers reported ge- for Disease Control and ing more to be done," Do-
places where it can es- an, her husband and their netic similarities between Prevention, and the study's kubo said. q

Britain has a summer job for

you: Count the butterflies

LONDON (AP) — What to ough, and depends on The group says butterflies
do during Britain's hottest people devoting 15 min- react very quickly to envi-
summer in years? Why, utes to counting butterfly ronmental changes, mak-
count butterflies, of course. species. More than 60,000 ing them excellent indica-
Britain is holding a Big But- volunteers took part in the tors of biodiversity. It says
terfly Count to help experts Butterfly Conservation sur- a decline in butterflies is
assess the state of the wild- vey last year. The annual "an early warning" of other
In this Oct. 20, 2017, file photo, John Miano of Destin, Fla., holds
a monarch butterfly on his fingertip as he waits for the newly life environment. survey began in 2010 and wildlife losses. The count,
tagged insect to take flight during the Panhandle Butterfly The count is being backed the group says it's become which also helps to identify
House's Monarch Madness festival in Navarre, Fla. by celebrities, including the largest butterfly moni- threatened species, goes
Associated Press naturalist David Attenbor- toring project in the world. until Aug. 12.q