Persistence of antibodies to rotavirus in human milk

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Human milk obtained from 21 American nursing mothers was studied for the presence of secretory immunoglobulin [Ig] A antibody [Ab] to rotavirus, the most common etiological agent of infantile gastroenteritis. Ab was quantitated by adaptation of a recently described solid-phase radioimmunoassay [RIA] technique that employs simian rotavirus as a convenient substitute antigen for human rotavirus. Of the mothers tested, 80% (12 of 15) possessed milk Ab within 1 wk of parturition; 56% of those tested (5 of 9) secreted milk Ab 6 or 9 mo. postpartum. Specificity of the RIA was demonstrated by absorption of Ab with purified rotavirus. Detection by RIA of Ab to rotavirus in milk samples collected past the colostrum stage is in contrast to other studies that failed to detect Ab in human milk by immunofluorescence or neutralization tests. The appareance of secretory IgA Ab in the milk of mothers previously lacking milk Ab may be correlated with subclinical infection of the mother with rotavirus.