title: [Breast feeding for prevention of viral acute respiratory diseases in infants].
abstract: The incidence of acute viral respiratory diseases (confirmed by immunofluorescence test) was compared in a group of 159 infants aged 0-9 months breast-fed at least once daily and in a group of 608 infants of similar age and hospitalization duration receiving only artificial food. The incidence was significantly lower in breast-fed infants (p = 0.00057), especially in the first trimester of life (p = 0.00039). This was valid of all RSV infections (p = 0.01854) and parainfluenza type 4 virus infections (p = 0.0846). The antibody level against parainfluenza type 1 and 3 (HI) and against RSV in IgA class (ELISA) was compared with that in mother's milk and serum. No significant correlation was found for parainfluenza type 1 antibodies (r = 0.159) and 3 (r = 0.025), while for RSV the correlation was positive and statistically significant though rather low (r = 0.234). No significant correlation was found between milk antibody levels and the incidence of acute viral respiratory infections. Breast-feeding showed a significant influence on the lower incidence of these infections, particularly in the first trimester of life. It seems that this was associated with a non-specific mechanism rather than with the milk levels of specific antibodies.
authors.affiliation: Zakład Wirusologii Państwowego Zakładu Higieny, Warszawie.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wilczyński
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Torbicka
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brzozowska-Binda
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Szymańska
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D001942:Breast Feeding; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007225:Infant Food; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000276:immunology; D010222:Parainfluenza Virus 1, Human / Q000276:immunology; D018184:Paramyxoviridae Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018357:Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018113:Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Human / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral