Ebola survivors suffer from "severe" neurological and psychiatric effects, according to new study



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iStock / Thinkstock (NEW YORK) – People who survive the Ebola virus may suffer from "serious" neurological and psychiatric problems long after curing the virus, according to a new study released Wednesday.

According to the study, published online in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (1965)

post-Ebola syndrome "was so debilitating that the individual was unable to participate in family life or even take care of himself. "We knew that a disease as severe as Ebola would leave survivors with major problems," said Janet Scott of the University of Liverpool, who co-led the research. "However, it surprised me to see young and previously active people who had survived but were now unable to move half of their body, talk or take their children."

The devastating epidemic of Ebola in West Africa between 2014 and 2016, killed more than 11,300 people.

The researchers in this study looked at notes on more than 300 Ebola survivors in Sierra Leone, one of the most affected countries during the region's epidemic. Of these, 34 neurologically-sensitive patients were subsequently invited to participate in a joint neuropsychiatric clinic in the capital Freetown in 2016. The group underwent comprehensive neurological examinations, psychiatric screening and specialized examinations, including brain scans.

The depth of the psychological and neurological problems of the patients became evident when the researchers badyzed the results. Many survivors still had a wide range of symptoms, including chronic migraines and strokes, as well as depression and anxiety.

"We found a wide range of neurological and psychiatric symptoms, from minor to extremely severe and disabling." The most common neurological problems in the survivors studied were migraines, strokes and nerve damage, while Survivors were more than a year after leaving the hospital, "says Patrick Howlett of King's College London.The most common psychiatric diagnoses were major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder, According to the study.

"Our findings suggest that it is also necessary to better understand the psychological and psychological consequences of Ebola virus disease," said Stephen Sevalie., a psychiatrist at 34 Military Hospital. of Freetown, where the clinic was based.

The study shed new light on the sy ndrome and the long-term effects of the initial alien on the lives of these survivors. The researchers said the findings underscore the need for physicians with specialized training to help the remaining survivors.

"Our results support the need for larger, case-controlled studies," Scott said. "The post-Ebola syndrome will not go away, and those who are affected deserve better treatment."

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