Ebola virus persistence: implications for human-to-human transmission and new outbreaks

A conversation with Miles Carroll and Oliver Meek about their recent Ebola virus persistence review article. In this episode, Oliver Meek and Miles Carroll discuss their recent review on Ebola virus (EBOV) persistence, set against the broader context of the West African epidemic. They share insights into how viral reservoirs form in immune-privileged sites and the immunological signatures linked to resistance. The conversation explores the implications of these findings on sexual transmission of EBOV, therapeutic development and strategies to prevent viral persistence and recrudescence. They also consider how these mechanisms may inform approaches to other emerging infectious diseases. Full article: Meek O, Fornace K, Carroll MW. Ebola virus persistence: implications for human-to-human transmission and new outbreaks. Explor Med. 2025;6:1001333. https://doi.org/10.37349/emed.2025.1001333 Further reading: Züst R, et al. Presence and Persistence of Andes Virus RNA in Human Semen. Viruses. 2023 Nov 17;15(11):2266. https://doi.org/10.3390/v15112266