Viruses, Infections & Disease, features and articles | Educational Science

May 7, 2015

Doctor Who Survived Ebola Nearly Lost His Vision

An American doctor who recovered from Ebola developed serious eye problems months later because the virus had lingered in his eye, according to a new report of his case. Dr. Ian Crozier, now 44 years old, contracted Ebola in September 2014 while treating patients in Sierra Leone. Crozier's eye problems...

May 8, 2015

Liberia Nearly Ebola-Free, But Could the Virus Come Back?

Liberia is set to be declared Ebola-free on Saturday (May 9), but experts say there's still a risk that the disease could reappear in the country. The last person in Liberia to have Ebola died on March 27, which was 41 days ago. Health officials typically wait 42 days to...

Jun 3, 2015

Fighting Ebola: Antidepressant and Heart Drug Show Promise

Two drugs approved for use in people — an antidepressant and a heart drug — might hold promise for treating Ebola, a new study in mice suggests. The researchers screened about 2,600 compounds for their ability to hinder Ebola virus activity, and found 30 drugs that were effective against the...

Jun 17, 2015

Did Ebola Strike Ancient Athens?

Could the first recorded Ebola outbreak have occurred not in Africa less than 40 years ago, but rather, more than 2,400 years ago, in ancient Greece? That's what one professor of infectious diseases and history now suggests. Most researchers say that the first outbreak of Ebola happened in 1976, in...

Jun 19, 2015

Surviving Ebola: Physical & Psychological Ailments Linger for Many

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...

Jul 2, 2015

10,000 Monitored for Ebola in US Over Fall & Winter

More than 10,000 people in the United States were monitored for symptoms of Ebola this past fall and winter, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In late October, the CDC recommended that everyone in the United States who had possibly been exposed to...

Jul 2, 2015

Ebola Returns to Liberia: Where Did It Come From, and Could It Spread?

The return of Ebola in Liberia — with three new cases reported this week in the previously Ebola-free country — is worrisome, and raises questions about whether Liberia was really free of the disease to begin with, experts say. Liberian health officials reported the death of a 17-year-old boy from...

Jul 13, 2015

New Inhaled Ebola Vaccine Works in Monkeys

A new Ebola vaccine that is designed to be inhaled works to protect monkeys from the virus's deadly effects, according to new research. The vaccine is now entering safety trials in a small number of people, researchers say. Although this Ebola vaccine still has to clear many hurdles before it...

Jul 31, 2015

Will the New Ebola Vaccine Help to End Outbreaks?

Experts welcomed the news today that a recent trial of an Ebola vaccine suggests the shot is highly effective at preventing the disease, and said that the the vaccine may stem outbreaks in the future even if not everyone is vaccinated. The study shows that the new vaccine, known as...

Sep 3, 2015

Liberia Is Ebola Free (Again)

For the second time this year, Liberia has stamped out Ebola transmission and been declared free of the disease, health officials say. Today (Sept. 3) marks 42 days since the last person to have Ebola in Liberia was cured and released from the hospital, according to a new report from...

Sep 17, 2015

Confusion and Fear of Ebola Delayed Treatment for Some Kids

Nearly 100 children in the United States were suspected of having Ebola last year, and although none of them actually had the deadly disease, these kids sometimes experienced delays in care because medical staff were concerned about being exposed to Ebola, according to a new report. Although it's true that...

Oct 8, 2015

Doctor Who Survived Ebola Describes Disease's Aftermath on the Body

SAN DIEGO — Ebola survivor Dr. Ian Crozier says he continues to experience long-term effects of the disease, including hearing loss and seizures. In a speech Wednesday (Oct. 7), Crozier provided his unique perspective on the devastating illness, from the point of view of a doctor who treated patients in...

Oct 14, 2015

Ebola May Stay in Survivors' Semen for Many Months

Male survivors of Ebola may carry the virus in their semen even months after they recover from the infection, according to a recent study. In the study, researchers looked for genetic material from the Ebola virus in semen and found that 100 percent of the specimens sampled between two and...

Oct 20, 2015

Ebola Returns: 2nd Case of Relapse Raises Questions

Scottish nurse Pauline Cafferkey — who became sick with Ebola about a year ago and recovered, but then became very ill again last week with what may be a relapse of the deadly virus — is now improving. Pauline Cafferkey's condition has improved to serious but stable, representatives from London's...

Nov 10, 2015

Woman in Africa Survives Double Whammy of Ebola, Stroke

A middle-age woman in Africa who became infected with Ebola suffered a stroke during her bout with the virus but managed to survive both maladies, according to a new report of her case. The woman's case suggests that Ebola complications could include stroke, but more research is needed to say...