Dear Emily,

Good to hear from you. I'll bet it's snowing where you are, because, it's
raining here but close to freezing. I hope you enjoy it.

"If a mother contracted the Ebola virus, and she survived would she
be immune to this virus?"

Yes. This is true of all infections, but it's tricky. Because certain
viruses mutate (change their protein structures), a person may have a virus
and then get ill with a mutated virus later. The best example is influenza
virus which mutates all the time.  The other thing is that immunity
sometimes decreases with age. So if a person had a viral infection today,
say chicken pox, and had no exposure to it for many many years (unlikely
today, but maybe if all children get chicken pox vaccine, possible in a few
years), then they might be susceptible again. Likely the illness would be
less severe, but they could get it again.

"If her child were breastfed would they be immune as well?

Probably. When the mother is exposed, she will produce antibodies against
the illness. (By the way, you don't have to get sick to develop immunity,
just exposed). However, the sort of antibody that goes to the baby protects
his *mucous membranes*, like the linings of the eye, the nose, the gut. So
if the virus is able to get past these antibodies, the baby could still get
sick, though he is protected. It's like a wall around his body, but walls
can be breeched.  There are other things in the milk, though that can
protect the baby. If you can get the Scientific American from December 1995
from the library, you can read up on a lot of these things.  Generally,
babies are protected if the mother is immune, but the protection is not
100%.

Jack Newman, MD, FRCPC

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