title: Antibodies to pneumococcal polysaccharides in human milk: lack of relationship to colonization and acute otitis media.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study analyzed antibodies to pneumococcal polysaccharides in human milk and their effect on nasopharyngeal colonization and acute otitis media in breast-fed infants.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 503 milk samples were collected from 310 mothers. Nasopharyngeal cultures were obtained from their children at 2, 6 and 10 months postpartum, and the capsular groups/types of the Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates were determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Types 6A, 6B, 19A, 19F and 23F accounted for 54% of the pneumococcal isolates, but type 3 isolates were uncommon. Milk samples were analyzed for antibody activity to the common capsular polysaccharide types 6A, 19F and 23F; to the type 3 polysaccharide; to C-polysaccharide; and to phosphorylcholine (PC), a major component of the pneumococcal cell wall polysaccharide (CWPS). Anti-capsular antibody activity was low or absent in > 90% of the milk samples. In contrast anti-PC antibody activity was detected in 88% and anti-CWPS in 84% of the samples. The frequency of acute otitis media did not vary with the milk anti-capsular, anti-PC or anti-CWPS antibody activity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was no reduction in nasopharyngeal carriage of S. pneumoniae among children fed milk with anti-capsular or anti-PC antibody activity, but carriage was increased in those children who received milk with anti-CWPS antibody activity. A protective role of antipolysaccharide or anti-CWPS antibodies in milk was not detected under the study conditions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, Lund University, Sweden.
authors.forename: I A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Rosen
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Håkansson
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Aniansson
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hansson
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Andersson
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Nylén
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sabharwal
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Svanborg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis*; D016667:Bacterial Capsules / Q000276:immunology; D001942:Breast Feeding; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008892:Milk / Q000276:immunology*; D009302:Nasopharyngeal Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D010033:Otitis Media / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D010767:Phosphorylcholine / Q000276:immunology*; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology*; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial; D010767:Phosphorylcholine