Unique Retinal Scar Has Been Identified on Ebola Survivors
According to the recent studies carried out by the duo Dr Janet Scott and Dr Calum Semple, from the University’s Institute of Translational Medicine in order to clinically find out more about the widespread symptoms of Post Ebola Syndrome (PES), and assessed survivors released from the Ebola Treatment Unit at the 34th Regiment Military Hospital in Freetown, Sierra Leone. It was reported that the Ebola disease that just will not go away is almost two years plus, since the deadly virus eruption occurred in West Africa, and countless Ebola survivors are still looming with symptoms of post-Ebola syndrome (PES), as well as joint, muscle pains, psychiatric and neurological problems.Ebola pandemic has been alarming in recent years. It’s no longer an issue to deliberate about when it comes to it effect on it victims.Nurse Kaci Hickox, who filed a a Suit Against Governor Chris Christie is a typical example.
Reports from the University of Liverpool, has it that scientist have conducted a research studies on recent Ebola survivors to resolve if the virus has any exact effects on the back of the eye when using an ultra widefield retinal camera.
Latent viruses
It was observed based on research that prevalent Viruses, like Ebola, can be concealed in human bodies for longer period thereby exploiting susceptibility in our dynamic immune systems. This high susceptibility in immune is called “immune privilege,” and originates from an aged observation that foreign tissue transplanted into certain parts of the body don’t elicit the usual immune response. This includes the brain, spinal cord, and eyes. Researchers believe this is as a result of the brain, spinal cord, and eyes which are basically too fragile and significant to withstand the inflammation that’s typical of an immune response.
More so, an eye examinations of PES sufferers in Sierra Leone and the control population was analytically compared by group of eye team specialized led by Dr. Paul Steptoe,. According to reports, a total of 82 Ebola survivors who had previously been confirmed to show signs of ocular symptoms and 105 unaffected controls from civilian and military personnel underwent ophthalmic examination, including widefield retinal imaging.
Based on the research results obtained and published in the Journal of Emerging Infectious Diseases, shows that approximately 15% of Ebola survivors inspected have traces of retinal scar that appears specific to the Ebola disease.
Reduced vision
According to Dr. Steptoe, who said publicly that: “The distribution of these retinal scars or lesions provides the first observational evidence that the virus enters the eye via the optic nerve to reach the retina in a similar way to West Nile Virus. Luckily, they appear to spare the central part of the eye so vision is preserved. Follow up studies are ongoing to assess for any potential recurrence of Ebola eye disease.
“Our study also provides preliminary evidence that in survivors with cataracts causing reduced vision but without evident active eye inflammation (uveitis), the aqueous fluid analysis does not contain Ebola virus therefore enabling access to cataract surgery for survivors.”
The WHO urges communities to “remain vigilant” as more and more Ebola cases are reported on a daily basis.
