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[Treatment with human colostrum of children with prolonged infectious gastroenteritis]
Insights
Human colostrum effectively treated infectious diarrhea in infants, leading to remission and weight gain. This study highlights colostrum
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Immunology
- Gastroenterology
Background:
- Protracted infectious diarrhea in infants poses significant health challenges.
- Enteropathogenic *E. coli* and *Salmonella* are common causative agents.
- Limited treatment options exist for severe, persistent infant diarrhea.
Observation:
- Six infants with infectious diarrhea caused by *E. coli* and/or *Salmonella* were treated with human colostrum.
- Five infants presented with active diarrhea, and one was a carrier.
- One infant experienced a fatal secondary pulmonary infection.
Findings:
- Treatment with human colostrum resulted in remission of diarrhea and weight gain in affected infants.
- Stool cultures became negative in four out of six infants.
- A statistically significant increase in duodenal secretory IgA and IgG levels was observed compared to a control group.
- Serum immunoglobulin levels remained unchanged.
Implications:
- Human colostrum may be a beneficial therapeutic agent for infectious diarrhea in infants.
- Further research with larger cohorts is warranted to confirm these findings.
- Colostrum's immunomodulatory properties may play a key role in combating enteric infections.
Abstract:
The results of treatment with human colostrum in 6 babies with protracted infectious diarrhea from enteropathogenic E. coli and/or Salmonella are reported. Active diarrhea was present in 5 cases and the 6th was a carrier. Remission was obtained in cases with diarrhea and all showed increase in weight. Negativeness of stool cultures was achieved in four cases and in the other two, the bacteriologic control was not complete. One patient died from a secondary pulmonary infectious problem. As an average, all patients showed rise in secretory IgA and in IgG measured at the duodenal fluid level and in comparison with a control group, there were statistically significant differences. Serum immunoglobulins showed no changes following administration of human colostrum. Although the number of patients reported is small, the results obtained may be considered favorable.