Abstract
Objectives: To test the hypothesis that mothers respond to their nursing infants' infection by modulating white blood cells and other immunologic factors in their breast milk.
Methods: Breast milk of mothers to infants, up to 3 months of age, who were admitted to the pediatric department with fever, was sampled twice, during active illness and recovery. Milk from mothers of healthy infants served as controls. Total leukocyte count and differential as well as IL-10, lactoferrin and secretory IgA levels were analyzed.
Results: 29 sick infants and 17 healthy controls were included. Total CD45 leukocyte count dropped from 8949±10702 in the acute phase to 4773±6535 cells/ml milk in recovery (p< 0.03) with macrophages / monocytes count decreasing from 1801±2015 to 800±1273 cells/ml, respectively (p< 0.005). CD4 T lymphocytes dropped from 45.06±12.03% to 37.58±12.55% (p< 0.02) and CD13/16 neutrophils decreased from 82.33±10.25% to 75.11±16.32% (p< 0.03). These differences were more pronounced in mothers' milk of babies with proven infection (e.g. urinary tract infection, pneumonia, meningitis). Such differences were not recorded in subsequent samples of the controls. Secretory IgA and lactoferrin levels did not change significantly in the study group. IL-10 levels decreased in the sick infants breast milk after recovery (p< 0.03), but also in the healthy controls.
Conclusions: During infection the number of leukocytes, macrophages / monocytes specifically, is increased. These results may support the dynamic nature of immune defense provided by breastfeeding sick infants.
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Riskin, A., Almog, M. & Kessel, A. 1063 Changes in Immunomodulatory Constituents of Human Milk in Response to Active Infection in the Nursing Infant. Pediatr Res 68 (Suppl 1), 528 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-201011001-01063
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-201011001-01063