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Influence of breast milk on nosocomial rotavirus infections in infants
Insights
Fresh human milk did not prevent nosocomial rotavirus infections in hospitalized infants. However, human milk intake significantly reduced the severity of rotavirus illness, leading to milder symptoms and more asymptomatic cases.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Infectious Diseases
- Immunology
Background:
- Nosocomial rotavirus infections pose a risk to hospitalized children.
- Preventing and managing rotavirus in vulnerable populations is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of fresh human milk on preventing and mitigating nosocomial rotavirus infections in hospitalized children.
- To assess the impact of human milk on rotavirus infection frequency and clinical symptom severity.
Main Methods:
- A study involving 30 hospitalized children (mean age five months) receiving daily fresh human milk supplementation.
- A control group of children on a formula diet.
- Routine fecal screening for rotavirus using ELISA and strain identification via gel electrophoresis.
- Daily recording and scoring of clinical symptoms.
Main Results:
- Human milk supplementation did not significantly alter the frequency of nosocomial rotavirus infections.
- Children receiving human milk exhibited a halved mean clinical symptom score.
- The incidence of mild or asymptomatic rotavirus infections was doubled in the human milk group.
Conclusions:
- Fresh human milk does not prevent nosocomial rotavirus acquisition in hospitalized infants.
- Human milk consumption can significantly attenuate the clinical severity of rotavirus infections in this population.
- Human milk may play a role in reducing the burden of rotavirus disease, even if not preventing infection itself.
Abstract:
To prevent nosocomial rotavirus infections in hospitalized children with various non-gastrointestinal diseases, 30 children (mean age five months) received 200 ml of fresh human milk per day in addition to the normal diet for their age. A matched group of children on formula diet served as a control. Fecal samples were routinely screened for rotavirus by a commercial ELISA test. In stools containing rotavirus, the virus RNA segments were analysed by gel electrophoresis to identify the different rotavirus strains. Clinical symptoms were recorded daily and quantified by a score system. Human milk had no effect on the frequency of nosocomial rotavirus infections: ten infected children were fed with human milk and seven were not. However, the severity of the clinical symptoms was clearly reduced: the mean score of clinical symptoms was only half as great and the number of mild or asymptomatic infections was doubled in the group receiving fresh human milk.