To determine how long Ebola virus could remain infectious in a body after death, scientists at the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) sampled deceased Ebola-infected monkeys and discovered the virus remained viable for at least seven days. They also detected non-infectious viral RNA for up to 70 days post-mortem.
The study underscored the importance of using safe practices for handling corpses.
The research also highlights oral swabbing of bodies as a reliable and safer alternative to riskier procedures for obtaining diagnostic samples.
To conduct the study, scientists at the NIH's National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases tested samples from five deceased macaques used in Ebola virus studies and euthanised after showing signs of disease.
By Ruchi Singh