Bottle-feeding can prevent transmission of HTLV-I from mothers to their babies.
Breast-feeding is a major factor in the vertical transmission of human T-lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I). We studied whether such transmission may be prevented by bottle-feeding. HTLV-I infection was detected by both HTLV-I antigen and antibody tests. Thirty bottle-fed babies were examined 24 months after birth; only one was found to be HTLV-I antigen-positive. This infection rate was lower than that for breast-fed babies in whom HTLV-I antigen was detected in 24 of the 31 24-month-old babies born to HTLV-I positive mothers in a previous study. These results suggest that most vertical transmission of HTLV-I is attributable to breast-feeding and can be prevented by bottle-feeding.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Nara Medical University, Japan.
Y
Y
Ando
K
K
Saito
S
S
Nakano
K
K
Kakimoto
K
K
Furuki
T
T
Tanigawa
H
H
Hashimoto
I
I
Moriyama
M
M
Ichijo
T
T
Toyama
D001903:Bottle Feeding; D001942:Breast Feeding; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000276:immunology; D015481:HTLV-I Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D015486:HTLV-I Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission*; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy
D015481:HTLV-I Antibodies; D015486:HTLV-I Antigens