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Surviving Ebola: Physical & Psychological Ailments Linger for Many

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LIVE SCIENCE by Rachael Rettner                          June 19, 2015

Many people who survive an Ebola infection experience appetite loss and joint pain for months after they are declared free of the virus, although nearly half say they feel they've made close to a full recovery, according to a new study of more than 100 survivors of the disease.

But in addition to causing physical symptoms, Ebola often leaves a lasting impact on people's social lives and mental health, with nearly all survivors reporting social rejection and a loss of self-confidence, the study found.

"Our findings highlight the need for continued surveillance among survivors of Ebola virus disease," the researchers, from Donka National Hospital in Guinea, wrote in the June 9 issue of the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases. "In countries where psychiatric and psychological care may be limited, provision of such care may require additional resources and awareness."

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http://www.livescience.com/51278-ebola-survivors-physical-mental-health.html

Ebola Virus Disease Survivors Study in Guinea

 JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES                                               June 9, 2015

http://cid.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2015/06/09/cid.civ453.abstract?sid=99b95e4a-1883-4782-b94a-379c21aad107

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CBS NEWS  by  Althea Manasan                                                                     June 22, 2015

Six months after the Ebola virus ravaged West Africa and dominated headlines around the world, experts are facing another challenge: thousands of survivors are now experiencing a mysterious set of symptoms persisting long after their recovery, including vision loss and joint and muscle pain.

Doctors are calling it Post-Ebola Syndrome, and the phenomenon is still not very well understood — partly because in the past, the disease's high fatality rate has meant there haven't been too many survivors.

But this latest outbreak — which so far has seen more than 26,000 reported cases on the African continent and killed almost 11,000 people — has left us with the largest number of Ebola survivors in history.

"This is a massive outbreak compared to anything we've ever had before...so a much bigger group both to try to take care of and also to try to understand the various problems that they face," says Dr. Daniel Bausch, a senior consultant for the World Health Organization's clinical team on pandemic and epidemic diseases. Part of his work involves organizing the WHO's Ebola survivor support network.

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http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/post-ebola-syndrome-survivors-continue-to-face-mystery-symptoms-1.3112028

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