title: Identification of anti-Plasmodium falciparum antibodies in human breast milk.
abstract: Malarial infections are rarely observed in neonates. It has been postulated that some immunity may be passively transferred during nursing, but anti-malarial antibodies (Abs) have not been detected in human milk. In this study, milk samples, collected 2-14 days after parturition from women at the Central Maternity Hospital, Yaounde, were evaluated for total IgG and IgA antibody levels by radial diffusion, protein composition by SDS-PAGE, anti-malarial antibodies using an isotype-specific immunofluorescence assay, and the ability to immunoprecipitate Plasmodium falciparum antigens metabolically labelled with 35S-methionine. Results showed that anti-P. falciparum antibodies were present in breast milk, and that paired milk and serum samples from individual women contained Abs that recognized similar malarial antigens.
authors.affiliation: University Centre for Health Sciences, University of Yaounde, Cameroun.
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Leke
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ndansi
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Southerland
authors.forename: I A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Quakyi
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Taylor
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000032:analysis; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M