Man tests positive for Ebola (sort of) in Delhi, kept under isolation

The thread title is from the article headline but I added the "sort of" because calling the man positive for Ebola is somewhat controversial.

Times of India reports: Man tests positive for Ebola in Delhi, kept under isolation

In the first case of Ebola in the country, an Indian national returning from Liberia has tested positive for the deadly virus and has been quarantined at a special facility at Delhi airport.

...tests of his semen samples were positive...

...may have the possibility of transmitting the disease through sexual route up to 90 days from time of clinical cure...

...carried a certificate of medical clearance from the Liberian government, mentioning that "he has successfully undergone care and treatment related to Ebola and after post treatment assessment has been declared free of any clinical signs and symptoms and confirmed negative by laboratory analysis..."

What will be controversial is that his blood tests were negative in Liberia and also 3 times in India and he is considered 'cured,' but India is isolating him because of the semen tests being positive. India is playing it safe. That's probably a good thing. Ebola spreading in India is a nightmare scenario.

There was also another statement in the article that caught my attention:

...the ministry added that the virus may continue to be positive in secretions like urine and semen for a longer time.

I've seen it stated as showing up in semen for quite a while after blood tests are negative, but this is the first time I've seen it stated that the virus can continue to be positive in urine also.

Then we have been sold another bill of goods by the medical boffins....
who knows where it lurks now......\/

Can you imagine how bad this would be, if one of the worlds most heavily populated areas, became an Ebola hotbed. This would turn from a small Ebola outbreak, into a very very serious situation very quickly. They need to keep him Isolated and make sure no one else is running around Deli with Ebola

a reply to: stirling

Up until now, Ebola patients have generally been considered to be recovered and have been released if they have two negative blood tests. They are normally given advice such as this CDC advice:

Once someone recovers from Ebola, they can no longer spread the virus. However, Ebola virus has been found in semen for up to 3 months. Abstinence from sex (including oral sex) is recommended for at least 3 months. If abstinence is not possible, condoms may help prevent the spread of disease.

Of course the question is whether that advice is good enough. Many believe it is not. India has chosen to play it safe and not trust that telling someone that advice is enough to prevent Ebola from spreading. Personally, I think that's a wise decision. But it's sure to be controversial as it begs the question of why only India is doing that.

I have not been able to confirm the statement about urine tests also testing positive for Ebola after a patient is considered recovered, so I don't know whether that is correct. Apparently breast milk can continue to test positive though.

a reply to: ikonoklast

And something tells me Dr. Spencer won't be following the 3 month rule.

A guy who rode the subway, went bowling, and used car services knowing the circumstances really doesn't seem like his intelligence stretches anywhere beyond his nose.

a reply to: Glassbender777

Yes, most consider it to be one of the worst possible nightmares if Ebola spreads in India. The population size and density would be likely to cause it to spread far faster than even in large cities in Africa.

It sounds like there is little chance of it spreading from this particular man, but it is hard to guarantee it can't come in from someone else.

a reply to: Yeahkeepwatchingme

Something tells me a lot of 'recovered' Ebola patients won't follow the 3 month rule. That's why STDs spread so widely. But unlike STDs, Ebola won't just be a STD in someone else who catches it that way.

It's potentially a big problem that has been mostly kept quiet.

If the urine thing is true would we not be seeing more cases in other county's that have recovered people wandering around?

Or are they given strict guide lines on how to deal with it?

Example do not use public toilets for the next 3 months.

a reply to: ikonoklast

Plus India produces something like 40% of over the counter and generic prescription drugs for the USA alone so you would see a lot of secondary causality's if it spread in India.

a reply to: ikonoklast

I understand that Ebola can live in semen for up to 3 months after a "cure." I never heard about urine, but this begs my question:

What about menstruating women? Can an Ebola survivor safely use public restrooms?

originally posted by: joho99
If the urine thing is true would we not be seeing more cases in other county's that have recovered people wandering around?

Or are they given strict guide lines on how to deal with it?

Example do not use public toilets for the next 3 months.

When I did a quick search to look for confirmation about the urine thing, I did not see anything that obviously confirmed or denied it. But it was a quick search, so maybe I missed something. I would think it would be a big issue unless the likelihood of transmission was so low as to be almost zero. But I think it also may be incorrect information.

a reply to: ikonoklast

just adding this news to your post:

Man returning from Liberia tests positive for Ebola in Delhi; another suspected case in Rajasthan

a 35-year-old man, who showed Ebola-like symptoms, was kept at an isolation ward at Sawai Man Singh Hospital in Jaipur before he left for Delhi.

A possible scenario developing?

originally posted by: dianajune
a reply to: ikonoklast

What about menstruating women? Can an Ebola survivor safely use public restrooms?

Good questions. I'm not sure whether menstruating women can spread Ebola after recovery from Ebola like men can in semen. Ebola can still be detected in breast milk after recovery though, so they advise nursing women not to breastfeed for some length of time.

As far as an Ebola survivor using public restrooms, I don't know. If we can believe what we are told, an Ebola patient is most contagious when they are at the worst stages of the disease and just after death. Experience so far in the USA seems to support that. I would expect based on information on the CDC site that after recovery there would be an extremely low probability of spreading the disease by any route - but probably not zero risk.

originally posted by: TruthxIsxInxThexMist
a reply to: ikonoklast

...another suspected case in Rajasthan

a 35-year-old man, who showed Ebola-like symptoms, was kept at an isolation ward at Sawai Man Singh Hospital in Jaipur before he left for Delhi.

A possible scenario developing?

Let's hope not. Usually such instances wind up not being Ebola, or at least that's what we are told. But you never know when one won't, so thanks for the info!

a reply to: ikonoklast

It looks like they have done a complete edit of the link you provided and removed the urine statement in the process.

a reply to: joho99

Thanks. It would be nice if they said whether they removed the urine statement because it was inaccurate or for some other reason, but it doesn't say unless it's buried in the comments somewhere.

The lack of infrastructure, cultural practices and inferior medical care is blamed for the epidemic but after Duncan's family made it out alive/well I began suspecting there's more going on than bad hygiene.

I think I read women are more likely to contract ebola than men. That could be due to the fact that women are caregivers and prepare bodies for burial but it's also possible sexual transmission is playing a bigger role than what's reported.

I wonder if ebola can be sexually transmitted before the onset of symptoms? After recovery 3 months is a long time to abstain from sex. Using protection might be a huge no no in African culture/religion. Based on population/problems with HIV I'd say African men are very resistant to change/sex education.

If ebola finds its way into any country's sex industry it will spread fast, contact tracing would be a nightmare. A recovered sexually active man could spread ebola multiple times a day. I don't think protection is 100% effective, abstinence is the safest method. Men might protect their wives but prostitutes not so much.

Officials are quick to blame cultural practices/poor infrastructure but imo sexual transmission is being downplayed.