Neuropsychological long-term sequelae of Ebola virus disease survivors
Citation: Lötsch F, Schnyder J, Goorhuis A, Grobusch MP. Neuropsychological long-term sequelae of Ebola virus disease survivors–a systematic review. Travel medicine and infectious disease. 2017 Jul 1;18:18-23.
Summary: Survivors of the Ebola virus disease (EVD) commonly suffered from depression, insomnia, fatigue, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress. Data from high quality studies is scarce, which prevents drawing conclusions about the impact and magnitude of these conditions.
This systematic review aimed to assess the neuro- and socio-psychological long-term conditions experiences by Ebola virus diseases survivors. A total of 10 papers were included. Evidence was found for the experience of depression, insomnia, fatigue, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress. However, many methodological issues prevent clear conclusions, such as lack of control groups. Of note is that depression was in none of the studies formally diagnosed by a psychiatrist. A prospective, controlled cohort study protocol in preparation for potential future outbreaks is advised.