Researchers from the University of Liverpool's Institute of Translational Medicine have found some Ebola survivors have a retinal scar that appears specific to the disease, providing the first observational evidence that the virus enters the eye via the optic nerve to reach the retina in a similar way to West Nile Virus.
The investigators reportedly studied 82 Ebola survivors at the 34th Regiment Military Hospital in Freetown, Sierra Leone who had previously reported ocular symptoms, as well as 105 unaffected controls. All study subjects reportedly underwent an ophthalmic examination, including widefield retinal imaging.
Researchers reportedly found a retinal scar in about 15 percent of the Ebola survivors examined. According to researchers, the scars appear to spare the central portion of the eye so vision is preserved. However, they believe follow-up studies are needed to assess any potential recurrence of Ebola eye disease.
The study was recently published in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases.
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Source: University of Liverpool