Related Experiment Videos
[Breast feeding for prevention of viral acute respiratory diseases in infants]
J Wilczyński1, E Torbicka, A Brzozowska-Binda
1Zakład Wirusologii Państwowego Zakładu Higieny, Warszawie.
Insights
Breast-feeding significantly reduces acute viral respiratory disease incidence in infants, particularly during the first three months of life. This protective effect appears linked to non-specific immune mechanisms rather than specific milk antibody levels.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Immunology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Acute viral respiratory diseases pose a significant health risk to infants.
- Breast milk is known to confer immunological benefits to infants.
- The specific mechanisms by which breast-feeding protects against respiratory infections require further elucidation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the incidence of acute viral respiratory diseases in breast-fed versus artificially fed infants.
- To investigate the correlation between specific antibody levels in breast milk and the incidence of these infections.
- To explore potential mechanisms underlying the protective effects of breast-feeding.
Main Methods:
- A comparative study involving 159 breast-fed infants and 608 artificially fed infants aged 0-9 months.
- Diagnosis of viral respiratory diseases confirmed by immunofluorescence test.
- Measurement of antibody levels (HI and ELISA) in breast milk, infant serum, and mother's milk for specific viruses (Parainfluenza types 1, 3, and RSV).
Main Results:
- Significantly lower incidence of acute viral respiratory diseases in breast-fed infants (p = 0.00057), especially in the first trimester (p = 0.00039).
- Reduced incidence observed for RSV (p = 0.01854) and Parainfluenza type 4 (p = 0.0846) infections.
- No significant correlation between milk antibody levels and infection incidence, except for a weak positive correlation with RSV (r = 0.234).
Conclusions:
- Breast-feeding significantly lowers the risk of acute viral respiratory infections in infants, with a pronounced effect in the early months of life.
- The protective effect is likely mediated by non-specific immunological mechanisms rather than specific antibody concentrations in breast milk.
- Further research into non-specific factors in breast milk is warranted to understand the full scope of its protective benefits.
Abstract:
The incidence of acute viral respiratory diseases (confirmed by immunofluorescence test) was compared in a group of 159 infants aged 0-9 months breast-fed at least once daily and in a group of 608 infants of similar age and hospitalization duration receiving only artificial food. The incidence was significantly lower in breast-fed infants (p = 0.00057), especially in the first trimester of life (p = 0.00039). This was valid of all RSV infections (p = 0.01854) and parainfluenza type 4 virus infections (p = 0.0846). The antibody level against parainfluenza type 1 and 3 (HI) and against RSV in IgA class (ELISA) was compared with that in mother's milk and serum. No significant correlation was found for parainfluenza type 1 antibodies (r = 0.159) and 3 (r = 0.025), while for RSV the correlation was positive and statistically significant though rather low (r = 0.234). No significant correlation was found between milk antibody levels and the incidence of acute viral respiratory infections. Breast-feeding showed a significant influence on the lower incidence of these infections, particularly in the first trimester of life. It seems that this was associated with a non-specific mechanism rather than with the milk levels of specific antibodies.