Breast milk as a possible route of vertical transmission of dengue virus?

Anne Barthel1, Ann-Claire Gourinat, Cécile Cazorla

  • 1Institut Pasteur de Nouvelle-Calédonie, 9-11 avenue Paul Doumer–BP 61, 98845 Noumea Cedex, Nouvelle Calédonie. barthel.anne@gmail.com

We report a case of vertical transmission of dengue infection. The virus was detected and quantified by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction in sequential blood samples from mother and child as well as in breast milk, but not in cord blood. This case poses questions about the risk of breastfeeding transmission of dengue virus.