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Volume 18
Issue 9
10.3390/v18090983
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Article

Ebola Virus RNA Persists in Reproductive Tissues and Sperm of Male Ifnar1−/− Mice After Resolution of Viremia

by
Andrew L. Webb
1,
Brayden G. Schindell
1,
Kathy Frost
2,
Geoff Soule
3,
Stephanie A. Booth
2,
David Safronetz
1,3 and
Jason Kindrachuk
1,4,5,*
1
Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada
2
Mycobacteriology, Vector-Borne and Prion Diseases Division, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, MB R3E 3R2, Canada
3
Special Pathogens Program, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, MB R3E 3R2, Canada
4
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3A 1R9, Canada
5
Manitoba Centre for Proteomics and Systems Biology, Health Science Centre, Winnipeg, MB R3A 1R9, Canada
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Viruses 2026, 18(9), 983; https://doi.org/10.3390/v18090983
Submission received: 13 July 2026 / Revised: 26 August 2026 / Accepted: 31 August 2026 / Published: 7 September 2026
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Viruses in the Reproductive Tract)
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Abstract

Ebola virus (EBOV) has been shown to persist in the reproductive tracts of male Ebola virus disease (EVD) survivors ranging from months to years following recovery, with shedding of EBOV in semen leading to chains of disease transmission. In the current study, we used a mouse model of EBOV infection to investigate the timing of virus infiltration of the male reproductive tissues, the extent of virus persistence in these tissues, and the impact of persistence on tissue health. We challenged male Ifnar−/− mice with wild-type EBOV and collected blood, liver, testis, epididymis, and sperm samples longitudinally for 35 days. All EBOV-challenged mice that were tested 3 days post-infection were viremic, and EBOV RNA was detected in reproductive samples up to 35 days post-infection. Epididymis and sperm samples were notable for detection of EBOV RNA at low cycle thresholds on day 3, and for high frequency of detection in samples up to 21 days post-infection. Testicular tissue histopathology was relatively mild during acute infection, but perturbations of interstitial tissue continued up to 35 days post-infection. Our findings support previous evidence of the risk of sexual transmission of persistent EBOV infections and highlight the potential impact of these infections on male fertility.
Keywords: Ebola virus; Ifnar1−/− mice; histopathology; persistent infection; testicular infection Ebola virus; Ifnar1−/− mice; histopathology; persistent infection; testicular infection

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MDPI and ACS Style

Webb, A.L.; Schindell, B.G.; Frost, K.; Soule, G.; Booth, S.A.; Safronetz, D.; Kindrachuk, J. Ebola Virus RNA Persists in Reproductive Tissues and Sperm of Male Ifnar1−/− Mice After Resolution of Viremia. Viruses 2026, 18, 983. https://doi.org/10.3390/v18090983

AMA Style

Webb AL, Schindell BG, Frost K, Soule G, Booth SA, Safronetz D, Kindrachuk J. Ebola Virus RNA Persists in Reproductive Tissues and Sperm of Male Ifnar1−/− Mice After Resolution of Viremia. Viruses. 2026; 18(9):983. https://doi.org/10.3390/v18090983

Chicago/Turabian Style

Webb, Andrew L., Brayden G. Schindell, Kathy Frost, Geoff Soule, Stephanie A. Booth, David Safronetz, and Jason Kindrachuk. 2026. "Ebola Virus RNA Persists in Reproductive Tissues and Sperm of Male Ifnar1−/− Mice After Resolution of Viremia" Viruses 18, no. 9: 983. https://doi.org/10.3390/v18090983

APA Style

Webb, A. L., Schindell, B. G., Frost, K., Soule, G., Booth, S. A., Safronetz, D., & Kindrachuk, J. (2026). Ebola Virus RNA Persists in Reproductive Tissues and Sperm of Male Ifnar1−/− Mice After Resolution of Viremia. Viruses, 18(9), 983. https://doi.org/10.3390/v18090983

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