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Secretion of respiratory syncytial virus inhibitors and antibody in human milk throughout lactation
Author(s) -
Toms G. L.,
Gardner P. S.,
Pullan C. R.,
Scott M.,
Taylor C.
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
journal of medical virology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 121
eISSN - 1096-9071
pISSN - 0146-6615
DOI - 10.1002/1096-9071(1980)5:4<351::aid-jmv1890050412>3.0.co;2-s
Subject(s) - lactation , antibody , breast milk , virus , immune system , biology , immunoglobulin a , immunology , virology , bronchiolitis , immunity , secretion , breast feeding , passive immunity , respiratory system , immunoglobulin g , pregnancy , medicine , endocrinology , biochemistry , genetics , anatomy , pediatrics
Neutralising inhibitors to respiratory syncytial (RS) virus have been demonstrated in the whey of most samples of human milk tested. Although high titres were secreted in colostra of some mothers (1/10–1/2,560; median 1/40) inhibitor levels in milk collected after the first week of lactation were uniformly low (median 1/10). High neutralising titres correlated with high colostral levels of specific antiviral IgA but, unlike neutralising activity, IgA antiviral antibody persisted in the milk of only four of 18 mothers. Similarly, antiviral IgG and IgM antibodies were not generally detected after the first postpartum week. Differences in antibody secretion among mothers did not correlate with differences in total protein or total immunoglobulin secretion, and appeared to reflect maternal immune status. In one mother a marked rise in specific antiviral IgA and IgG secretions during the second and third months of lactation suggested a response to virus infection. The relevance of maternal immunity and colostral and milk antiviral antibody to protection of breast‐fed babies from RS‐virus bronchiolitis is discussed.