title: The effects of infant feeding on rotavirus-induced gastroenteritis: a prospective study.
abstract: The relationship between feeding method and risk of rotavirus infection was studied by following a cohort of 197 infants from low income households through the winter diarrhea season of 1983-84. Fecal specimens were systematically collected and tested for the presence of rotavirus particles by electron microscopy, confirmed by ELISA. The attack rates of rotavirus gastroenteritis were similar for breast-fed and bottle-fed infants (20 per cent, 17 per cent, respectively); however, the clinical course of rotavirus gastroenteritis was quite different. Infants who were breast-fed had illnesses which were characterized by milder symptoms of shorter duration. Of the 10 breast-fed infants who acquired rotavirus gastroenteritis, nine (90 per cent) were classified as mild illnesses while of the 25 bottle-fed infants who acquired rotavirus gastroenteritis, only nine (36 per cent) were classified as having mild illnesses. These data suggest that factors associated with breast-feeding, although not affecting rotavirus infection rates, may moderate the clinical course of rotavirus gastroenteritis.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001903:Bottle Feeding; D001942:Breast Feeding; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009518:New York; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012306:Risk; D012401:Rotavirus / Q000032:analysis; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D014771:Virion / Q000032:analysis