The Role of Breast Milk in Infectious Disease

Laura S Madore1, Donna J Fisher1

  • 1University of Massachusetts Medical School-Baystate, 759 Chestnut Street, Springfield, MA 01199, USA.

Human milk has many advantageous anti-infective and immunologic properties, making it the ideal nutritional source to optimize the well-being of infants. There are certain infectious circumstances where breast milk feedings should be withheld or strict precautions followed, and this article addresses these rare events. Contamination and misadministration when handling human milk is also a safety concern, especially when caring for vulnerable preterm infants. This article addresses ways to decrease these occurrences to maintain the inherent anti-infectious properties of human milk and preserve the health of our neonatal population.

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