(DDM) – Scientists have discovered that some of the world’s most dangerous viruses are capable of hiding inside the human body for months or even years before reemerging to cause new infections.
Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) gathered that these viruses play what researchers describe as a deadly “hide and seek” game, finding safe zones within the body where the immune system cannot reach them.
Experts revealed that such viruses, including Ebola, Zika, Lassa fever, Marburg, Nipah, and even measles, can remain dormant in organs like the eyes, testes, brain, placenta, and mammary glands.
These parts of the body, known as “sanctuary sites,” are protected from immune system attacks because damage there could threaten survival or reproduction.
According to Dr. Elizabeth Higgs of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, genetic testing shows that several recent Ebola outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) were not caused by new animal infections but by survivors unknowingly carrying hidden viruses that later reactivated.
She explained that while most survivors never transmit the virus again, a small percentage can unknowingly trigger new outbreaks, which has become a major global health concern.
The issue first gained global attention in 2015, when a mysterious Ebola case emerged in Liberia months after the nation was declared virus-free.
Investigators traced the infection to a man who had recovered from Ebola but still harbored the virus in his testes. The disease resurfaced when it was transmitted to his partner during sexual contact.
Dr. Soka Moses, who led the investigation, described it as the first documented case of sexually transmitted Ebola. He said the discovery changed global understanding of how long viruses could remain hidden.
Dr. Moses now leads PREVAIL, the Partnership for Research on Vaccines & Infectious Diseases in Liberia, a program studying how such hidden viruses survive and how to eliminate them completely.
According to Dr. Joel Montgomery, Chief of the Viral Special Pathogens Branch at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), viruses choose these “sanctuary” organs because they are shielded from aggressive immune attacks.
He explained that the brain is protected by the blood-brain barrier, the eyes are connected directly to the nervous system, and reproductive organs are immunologically protected to prevent the body from attacking its own sperm or eggs.
Dr. Montgomery added that scientists are now working on small-molecule antiviral drugs capable of penetrating these barriers to reach and destroy the hidden viruses.
One promising drug, Remdesivir, has shown encouraging results. Survivors treated with it were found to clear the virus from their semen faster than those who received a placebo.
Researchers still don’t fully understand why some viruses stay dormant for so long or what triggers them to reactivate. Some evidence suggests it could be due to a weakened immune system or environmental stressors, but more studies are needed.
The psychological toll on survivors has also become a major issue. Many Ebola survivors in West Africa have faced social stigma, fear, and discrimination from their communities.
Dr. Dehkontee Dennis, a researcher at PREVAIL, said many survivors are afraid of infecting their loved ones. Some avoid intimacy, fearing they might still carry the virus despite testing negative.
In Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea, countries devastated by Ebola between 2014 and 2016, survivors’ programs now include semen testing, counseling, and vaccination campaigns to rebuild trust and protect communities.
Health officials emphasize that while the risk of relapse or transmission from survivors remains low, the phenomenon must be treated with seriousness, as it could reignite deadly outbreaks.
As Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) reports, global scientists are calling for increased funding to study long-term viral persistence in humans.
Their ultimate goal is to develop treatments that can reach into the body’s sanctuary sites and wipe out viruses completely.
Dr. Montgomery concluded: “We’ve learned how to save lives through vaccines and treatments. Now we must learn how to ensure the virus is completely gone, not just hidden.”
The revelation underscores how viruses, though microscopic, remain some of the most cunning and persistent enemies to human health, hiding in silence, waiting for the right moment to strike again.