Emerging Infectious Diseases (May 2015)

Postmortem Stability of Ebola Virus

  • Joseph B. Prescott,
  • Trenton Bushmaker,
  • Robert J. Fischer,
  • Kerri Miazgowicz,
  • Seth D. Judson,
  • Vincent J. Munster

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2105.150041
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 21, no. 5
pp. 856 – 859

Abstract

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The ongoing Ebola virus outbreak in West Africa has highlighted questions regarding stability of the virus and detection of RNA from corpses. We used Ebola virus–infected macaques to model humans who died of Ebola virus disease. Viable virus was isolated <7 days posteuthanasia; viral RNA was detectable for 10 weeks.

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