13 Jan 2017
Semen and Tears: Testing and Counselling for Viral Persistence in Ebola Survivors in Sierra Leone.
WHEN
16 Feb 2017
12:00 PM
WHERE
Auditorium
Dr Charles Alpren from the CDC in Siera Leone will present on Semen and tears: testing and counselling for viral persistence in ebola survivors in Sierra Leone.
Prior to the 2014-15 West African Ebola outbreak, it was known that Ebola virus could persist in the semen of male survivors for up to 3 months. Since then, however, viral persistence in semen has been recorded for much longer periods of time. In this talk I'll discuss the research and programatic approaches taken to address viral persistence and the possibility of sexual transmission of Ebola in Sierra Leone and also make reference to projects in Liberia and Guinea.
Charles works for US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Sierra Leone as ‘Survivor and Transition Lead,’ giving technical advice for care of Ebola survivors and helping with emergency and outbreak response planning after the 2014-15 Ebola outbreak, including being Response Lead for CDC during the small Ebola outbreak in January 2016. He has worked in Sierra Leone for 2 years, arriving in late 2014 to work as a doctor in the Ebola Treatment Centre run by Aspen Medical on behalf of the Australian government, and then returning to coordinate Case Management with WHO before moving to CDC in October 2015. He is a GP by training, with particular interests in vaccination and teaching, but left his practice in 2014 to study public health about 2 weeks before the Ebola outbreak erupted.
For all enquiries, please contact Finian Scallan.