Immunoglobulin A antibodies directed against Campylobacter jejuni flagellin present in breast-milk.
We studied the relationship between IgA anti-campylobacter flagellin antibodies in breast milk samples and protection of breastfed infants living in a rural Mexican village from campylobacter infection. There were fewer episodes of campylobacter infection (symptomatic and asymptomatic combined) in infants breastfed with milk containing specific anti-flagellin antibodies (1.2/child/year, 95% CI 0.6-1.8) versus non-breastfed children (3.3/child/year, 95% CI 1.8-4.8; P < 0.01). Infants breastfed with milk that was anti-flagellin antibody negative by ELISA also had fewer episodes of infection compared with non-breastfed children, but the difference did not reach statistical significance (1.8/child/year, 95% CI 0.7-3.0 versus 3.3/child/year, 95% CI 1.8-4.8, P > 0.05). Breastfeeding has a protective effect against campylobacter infection and is associated with the presence of specific antibodies directed against campylobacter flagellin.
Nachamkin
I
I
Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia 19104-4283.
Fischer
S H
SH
Yang
X H
XH
Benitez
O
O
Cravioto
A
A
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis*; D001942:Breast Feeding; D002169:Campylobacter Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D016123:Campylobacter jejuni / Q000276:immunology*; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003968:Diarrhea, Infantile / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005408:Flagellin / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000032:analysis*; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008800:Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000737:chemistry*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012424:Rural Population
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D005408:Flagellin