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Does Breastfeeding Protect Young Infants From Pertussis? Case-control Study and Immunologic Evaluation
Elisabetta Pandolfi1, Francesco Gesualdo, Emanuela Carloni
1From the *Multifactorial Disease and Complex Phenotype Research Area, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital; †Department of Pediatrics, Bambino Gesù Children Hospital IRCSS; ‡Department of Pediatrics, Sapienza University of Rome; §Immunology Unit, Immunology and Pharmacal Therapy Area, Bambino Gesù Children Hospital IRCSS; and ¶Department of Infectious, Parasitic & Immuno-mediated Disease, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
Insights
Breastfeeding does not appear to protect unvaccinated infants from pertussis (whooping cough). Further research is needed to find alternative strategies to prevent this serious infant infection.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Immunology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Pertussis (whooping cough) poses a severe risk to unvaccinated infants.
- Breastfeeding is a common preventative measure for many infant diseases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the protective effect of breastfeeding against pertussis in young, unvaccinated infants.
- To analyze the association between breastfeeding practices and pertussis infection in infants.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study involving hospitalized infants under 6 months with confirmed pertussis (cases) and healthy controls.
- Exclusion of vaccinated infants; collection of sociodemographic, clinical, and feeding data.
- Analysis of breast milk IgA and bacterial binding, and maternal serum IgG against Bordetella pertussis.
Main Results:
- Exclusive breastfeeding showed no significant association with protection against pertussis.
- Infants with siblings had a higher risk of pertussis.
- Maternal IgG titers were higher in cases, but breast milk IgA and bacterial binding showed no protective correlation.
Conclusions:
- Breastfeeding does not appear to be an effective strategy for preventing pertussis in infants.
- Alternative methods are necessary to safeguard unvaccinated infants against pertussis.
Background:
Pertussis infection can be severe in unvaccinated infants. A case-control study was conducted to investigate the potential role of breastfeeding in protecting young, unvaccinated infants from pertussis.
Methods:
Hospitalized infants <6 months of age with positive real time polymerase chain reaction for pertussis on nasopharyngeal aspirate were enrolled as cases; healthy controls were enrolled among patients admitted for ultrasound screening. Vaccinated infants were excluded. Sociodemographic, clinical and feeding information were collected. The effect of breastfeeding on pertussis was investigated through multivariable analysis. Breast milk and blood samples were obtained from mothers of patients. IgA and bacterial binding against Bordetella pertussis and other bacteria were tested in breast milk. IgG against pertussis toxin (PT) was tested in serum.
Results:
We enrolled 296 patients (61 cases and 235 controls). Exclusive breastfeeding was not associated with pertussis compared with partial breastfeeding/artificial feeding [odds ratio: 1.2; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.31-4.67]. Children with siblings were at higher risk for pertussis (odds ratio: 2.5; 95% CI: 1.21-5.35). IgA against pertussis antigens were not higher in cases (IgA anti-PT median = 0.24 optical density) compared with controls (IgA anti-PT median = 0.21 optical density). Though bacterial binding to B. pertussis, measured in breast milk, was higher in cases (median = 4.35%) compared with controls (median = 2.8%; P = 0.004), bacterial binding to B. pertussis was low compared with other pathogens. IgG titers were higher in mothers of cases, but no correlation was found between serum IgG and breast milk IgA.
Conclusion:
Breastfeeding remains a mainstay of prevention for numerous diseases, though it does not seem to play a role against pertussis. Alternative strategies to protect unvaccinated infants from pertussis should be considered.
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