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Rachel V Thomas

Study Shows Ebola Virus May Persist In Breast Milk For Over 3 Months After Recovery

Even after recovery, the deadly <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health/ebola">Ebola</a> virus (EBOV) can persist for a longer duration — more than three months — in breastmilk, according to a case report.

Ebola virus disease (EVD) is a severe viral illness that has a 25 percent – 90 percent fatality rate.

Ebola in pregnancy raises significant complications ranging from spontaneous abortion to maternal and neonatal death.

In a case report published in the New England Journal of Medicine, a team of researchers from the Republic of Congo and Senegal shared the case history of a 23-year-old woman in whom Ebola was still detectable in breast milk at 14 weeks.

The case reported the rare occurrence of a pregnant woman who survived EVD with no complications, neither to the mother nor the baby. However, the deadly virus was still present in the mothers' breast milk, which cited the potential risk of post-illness transmission to infants. 

As per the World Health Organization (WHO), EVD is a rare but severe illness in humans and is often fatal.

People can get infected with the virus if they touch an infected animal when preparing food, or touch body fluids of an infected person such as saliva, urine, feces or semen, or things that have body fluids of an infected person like clothes or sheets.

Ebola enters the body through cuts in the skin or when one is touching their eyes, nose or mouth. Early symptoms include fever, fatigue and headache.

The woman from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) contracted EBOV during pregnancy in 2019. 

Soon after, she was administered monoclonal antibody therapy and was discharged after three negative reverse-transcriptase–polymerase-chain-reaction blood tests for EBOV.

The woman delivered a healthy baby at 42 weeks of gestation. No evidence of EBOV infection was found in maternal blood, amniotic fluid, vaginal secretions, or the newborn. 

<h2>Ebola Detectable In Breast Milk At 14 Weeks </h2>

Yet surprisingly, the EBOV virus persisted in the placenta and breast milk.

Tests revealed that while the mother’s blood remained negative, viral RNA was still detectable in breast milk at 14 weeks after illness onset. To protect the newborn from transmission, clinicians used the drug bromocriptine to suppress lactation.

As per the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, the mother was also isolated from the baby and not breastfed. A prophylactic (preventive) monoclonal antibody was also given to the newborn. During follow-up, the infant exhibited no signs of infection.

During the 2018–2020 EVD outbreak in the northeast of DRC, 3,481 confirmed cases were reported. Of these, nearly 60 percent occurred in females, and about 45 percent occurred in children below 18 years of age.

Current WHO guidance recommends that Ebola survivors avoid breastfeeding until viral clearance is confirmed.

The global health body advises women with suspected or confirmed Ebola to immediately stop breastfeeding and be prioritized for diagnostic testing.

Children exposed to Ebola through breast milk<ul><li>Must be placed under care, </li><li>Closely monitored for symptoms over 21 days </li><li>Fed with an appropriate breast milk substitute. </li><li>Restarted on breastfeeding after two consecutive negative tests of breast milk.</li></ul>

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Even after recovery, the deadly Ebola virus (EBOV) can persist for a longer duration — more than three months — in breastmilk, according to a case report. Ebola virus disease (EVD) is a severe viral illness that has a 25 percent – 90 percent fatality rate. Ebola in pregnancy raises significant complications ranging from spontaneous abortion to maternal and neonatal death. In a case report published in the New England Journal of Medicine, a team of researchers from the Republic of Congo and Senegal shared the case history of a 23-year-old woman in whom Ebola was still detectable in breast milk at 14 weeks. The case reported the rare occurrence of a pregnant woman who survived EVD with no complications, neither to the mother nor the baby. However, the deadly virus was still present in the mothers' breast milk, which cited the potential risk of post-illness transmission to infants. What Is Ebola Virus Disease? As per the World Health Organization (WHO), EVD is a rare but severe illness in humans and is often fatal. People can get infected with the virus if they touch an infected animal when preparing food, or touch body fluids of an infected person such as saliva, urine, feces or semen, or things that have body fluids of an infected person like clothes or sheets. Ebola enters the body through cuts in the skin or when one is touching their eyes, nose or mouth. Early symptoms include fever, fatigue and headache. What Was The Case The woman from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) contracted EBOV during pregnancy in 2019. Soon after, she was administered monoclonal antibody therapy and was discharged after three negative reverse-transcriptase–polymerase-chain-reaction blood tests for EBOV. The woman delivered a healthy baby at 42 weeks of gestation. No evidence of EBOV infection was found in maternal blood, amniotic fluid, vaginal secretions, or the newborn. Ebola Detectable In Breast Milk At 14 Weeks  Yet surprisingly, the EBOV virus persisted in the placenta and breast milk. Tests revealed that while the mother’s blood remained negative, viral RNA was still detectable in breast milk at 14 weeks after illness onset. To protect the newborn from transmission, clinicians used the drug bromocriptine to suppress lactation. As per the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, the mother was also isolated from the baby and not breastfed. A prophylactic (preventive) monoclonal antibody was also given to the newborn. During follow-up, the infant exhibited no signs of infection. Ebola Virus: WHO Guidelines During the 2018–2020 EVD outbreak in the northeast of DRC, 3,481 confirmed cases were reported. Of these, nearly 60 percent occurred in females, and about 45 percent occurred in children below 18 years of age. Current WHO guidance recommends that Ebola survivors avoid breastfeeding until viral clearance is confirmed. The global health body advises women with suspected or confirmed Ebola to immediately stop breastfeeding and be prioritized for diagnostic testing.Children exposed to Ebola through breast milkMust be placed under care, Closely monitored for symptoms over 21 days Fed with an appropriate breast milk substitute. Restarted on breastfeeding after two consecutive negative tests of breast milk.

study shows ebola virus may persist in breast milk for over 3 months after recovery

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Study Shows Ebola Virus May Persist In Breast Milk For Over 3 Months After Recovery

Meningitis claimed 259,000 lives globally in 2023: The Lancet

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Health Conditions A-Z

Study Shows Ebola Virus May Persist In Breast Milk For Over 3 Months After Recovery

Meningitis claimed 259,000 lives globally in 2023: The Lancet

World Doctors’ Day: Date, Origin And Significance