Post-Ebola Sequelae Among Child Ebola Survivors in Sierra Leone

Abstract Introduction : There is limited data regarding the long-term health effects of child survivors of the 2013–2016 West African Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak. Here, we assess post-Ebola complications among EVD child survivors by comparing the self-reported symptoms between EVD child survivors and their close household contacts over one year after the end of the outbreak. Methods Child EVD survivors(n = 159) and their close contacts(n = 303) were enrolled in Western and Eastern Sierra Leone. Demographic and self-reported symptoms data were collected using an interviewer-administered questionnaire. We compared a list of self-reported symptoms between EVD child survivors and their close household contacts using backward stepwise logistic regression. Results Child EVD survivors were more likely to be orphans compared to their controls. Musculoskeletal, ocular, auditory and neurological symptoms were more prevalent among Ebola survivors than their close contacts (p < .001). Joint pain and headache were the most common self-reported symptoms, and child survivors and their contacts. Joint pain (AOR = 2.633; 95% CI1.313-5.278, p = 0.006), eye pain (AOR = 4.559,95%CI: 2.156–9.639, p < 0.001) hearing loss (AOR = 3.849, 95%CI: 1.151–12.871, p = 0.029), memory impairment (AOR = 7.763,.95%CI: 1.339–45.007 p = 0.022), mood changes (AOR = 5.070, 95%CI: 2.350-10.939, p < 0.001) were more common among survivors than their contacts. Conclusion Our data suggest that child EVD survivors have higher odds than their close contacts to suffer from post-Ebola musculoskeletal, ophthalmic, auditory and neurological impairment more than a year after the end of the EVD outbreak. Routine screening, treatment and monitoring of these symptoms is required to prevent long-term disability among child Ebola survivors.