Fischer William A, Wohl David A
Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine.
Division of Infectious Diseases, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Clin Infect Dis. 2016 May 15;62(10):1272-6. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciw123. Epub 2016 Mar 1.
The unprecedented Ebola outbreak that devastated West Africa evolved within months from a regional outbreak to a global public health emergency. While the rate of confirmed cases declined dramatically, sporadic clusters of Ebola virus disease (EVD) continue well beyond the double incubation period of 42 days used to declare a nation Ebola-free. At the same time, evidence that the virus persists in genital fluids and can be sexually transmitted, along with the potential for lingering virus in other body compartments to permit recrudescence of EVD, has shaken our thinking of what it takes to achieve lasting control of an Ebola epidemic. A comprehensive response to the threat of persistence and sexual transmission of Ebola is required and should build on accessible longitudinal medical care of survivors and accurate genital fluid testing for Ebola. Control of this and future Ebola outbreaks will depend on our ability to recognize and respond to this persistence of the virus in those who survive.
这场肆虐西非的前所未有的埃博拉疫情在数月内从地区性疫情演变成了全球公共卫生紧急事件。尽管确诊病例数大幅下降，但埃博拉病毒病（EVD）的零星聚集病例在宣布一个国家无埃博拉状态所采用的42天双倍潜伏期之后仍持续出现。与此同时，有证据表明该病毒存在于生殖液中且可通过性传播，再加上病毒可能在身体其他部位持续存在从而导致埃博拉病毒病复发，这动摇了我们对于实现埃博拉疫情持久控制所需条件的看法。需要对埃博拉病毒持续存在及性传播的威胁做出全面应对，且应基于为幸存者提供可及的长期医疗护理以及对埃博拉病毒进行准确的生殖液检测。控制此次及未来的埃博拉疫情将取决于我们识别并应对病毒在幸存者体内持续存在的能力。
