Research suggests protein found in human semen significantly increases Ebola virus

A new research has found that protein found in human semen significantly increases Ebola virus infection. It basically explains how sexual transmission has led to the virus' resurgence. Although Ebola is transmitted primarily through direct contact with blood and other body fluids from infected people. Also, the follow-up studies from the 2014 epidemic found that men can harbour the virus in their semen for at least 2.5 years, with the potential to transmit the virus sexually during that time.


A study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences explained, “The protein fragments called amyloid fibrils — also protect the virus against harsh environmental conditions such as heat and dehydration. Thus, targetting amyloids in the semen could prevent a sexually transmitted spread of the Ebola virus.”


Stephen Bart, a postdoctoral student at the University of Pennsylvania in the US said, "Given the potential for sexual transmission to spark new Ebola infection chains, we feel we have found relevant factors that may be important targets for inhibiting the spread of Ebola.”