Even though the virus has been eradicated, Ebola is still affecting the West African population.
(Mirror Daily, United States) – Ebola is gone, but neurological problems linger in patients that survived the terrible outbreak. According to a new study, the majority of Ebola survivors are now dealing with long-term neurological damage.
The United States researchers that conducted the study concluded that Ebola is gone, but neurological problems linger. The patients that were observed complained of headaches, muscle pain, depressed moods, and memory loss. There have also been reported cases of suicidal patients.
The British nurse that was first hospitalized in December 2014 after contracting the virus at a “Save the Children” center was cured last year. But she remains admitted at London’s Free Royal Hospital due to “late complications” caused by the virus infection.
And this is not the only time she has been admitted for “late complications” treatment. The Scot nurse was hospitalized three times after the she got rid of the Ebola virus.
The US National Stroke and Neurological Disorders Institute examined a sample of 82 Liberian Ebola survivors. The team of scientists that worked on the case discovered that the majority of patients suffered from different neurological abnormalities.
The most common side effect that was present in roughly two-thirds of the patients was body weakness. Furthermore, almost half of the group complained of memory loss and headaches. Two patients displayed suicidal behavior and one was suffering from hallucinations.
Other common problems among the Liberian Ebola survivors were tremors and an abnormal level of eye movements.
The study is just a part of a larger research project aimed to analyze the long-term effects that the Ebola virus had on the African population. The entire research will be presented at the annual meeting of the Neurological American Academy.
The aftermath of the Ebola outbreak that stormed the entire west part of the African continent counts 17,000 survivors and 11,300 deceased citizens.
The lead author of the study, Lauren Brown, said that Ebola is gone, but neurological problems linger. The survivors of the terrible and deadly outbreak are now left to deal with a couple of additional health issues that are worse for some than they are for others.
Dr. Brown also added that it is crucial for future research that the scientists have a clear image of the brain’s evolution when confronted and cured of the virus.
The average age of the sample patients was of 35. This means that the side-effects are affecting a rather young population. The headaches and the memory loss is interfering with their daily routines.
Ebola is gone, but neurological problems linger. This means that the virus has only physically disappeared from the lives of the inhabitants of the West African countries.
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