Professor Sunday Omilabu, a specialist in medical virology at the College of Medicine, University of Lagos, warns that survivors of Lassa fever can continue to transmit the virus through body fluids for up to 12 months after recovery. He explains that the virus may persist in semen, breast milk, saliva, and blood even after treatment. “The virus still lurks in the body fluids of people who have been exposed, treated and overcome it for more than 12 months, and people around them can contract the virus from these fluids,” Omilabu said in an interview.
He gave specific examples of how transmission can occur. A husband who has just recovered may easily pass the virus to his wife through semen during intercourse, and the virus can also be present in urine. Consequently, follow‑up care and education for recovering patients are essential. Omilabu also noted that the virus can be found in breast milk after a mother has been treated, so breastfeeding should be discouraged, and husbands should take precautions. All body fluids—including blood and saliva—can carry the virus for more than six months.
These concerns are supported by a 2020 study published in the *Pan Africa Medical Journal*. The research, titled “Monitoring of Lassa virus infection in suspected and confirmed cases in Ondo State, Nigeria,” was led by Dr. Olumuyiwa Salu, a medical/molecular virologist at the Centre for Human and Zoonotic Virology, Central Research Laboratory, College of Medicine, UNILAG. The study detected Lassa virus (LASV) in the seminal fluid and breast milk of patients discharged after ribavirin treatment, indicating persistence of the virus in these fluids among recovering Nigerians. The authors recommend safe‑sex practices—such as sexual abstinence or the use of male or female latex condoms—and advise nursing mothers to avoid breastfeeding after discharge.
The study further emphasizes that viral persistence in immune‑privileged sites is now recognized as a potential source of new outbreaks through sexual transmission, not only for Lassa fever but also for other emerging infectious diseases such as Ebola and Zika viruses.
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