In seemingly healthy survivors, cryptic Ebola may lurk in immune cells

Ebola virus (credit: CDC Global)

After the ghastly symptoms subside, Ebola may not be done; it may just shift to a clever stealth mode, a new study suggests.

Examining archived tissue samples from infected monkeys, researchers found that Ebola can create a cryptic viral reservoir in certain immune cells and hide in corners of the body where the rest of the immune system has little reach. The study, published this week in Nature Microbiology, echoes the reports from human Ebola survivors, who complain of lingering symptoms and complications that researchers have struggled to understand.

Overall, the evidence of persistent infections—which threaten to relapse and spark new outbreaks—adds extra concern for an already alarming pathogen. But researchers are hopeful that the study also provides a way forward for research into defeating this stage of infection.