title: The effect of bovine colostrum on viral upper respiratory tract infections in children with immunoglobulin A deficiency.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Immunoglobulin A (IgA)-deficient patients predominantly suffer from respiratory and gastrointestinal infections since secretory IgA has important functions to protect mucosal surfaces.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effect of bovine colostrum, rich in IgA, on the treatment of viral upper respiratory tract (URT) infections in IgA-deficient children.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-one IgA-deficient children with viral URT infections were included in this double-blind, placebo-controlled study, and randomly oral bovine colostrum or placebo was given three times a day for 1 week. Samples of saliva IgA were collected before treatment, after the administration of the first dose, and after the last dose. Mothers of the children completed a daily questionnaire regarding the severity of the infection and any adverse effects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The bovine colostrum group had a lower infection severity score than the placebo group after 1 week (respectively 0.81±0.83, 3.00±1.85; P=0.000), but there was no difference between the salivary IgA levels of the groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first study to evaluate the effect of bovine colostrum in IgA-deficient children, and no adverse effects were observed. However, further studies are needed to confirm the efficacy and safety of bovine colostrum in IgA-deficient patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Hematology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey.
authors.forename: Türkan
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Patıroğlu
authors.forename: Meda
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kondolot
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003126:Colostrum / Q000276:immunology*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017098:IgA Deficiency / Q000276:immunology*; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy* / Q000821:virology; D012463:Saliva / Q000276:immunology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013607:Tablets; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D013607:Tablets