title: Breast-feeding protects infantile diarrhea caused by intestinal protozoan infections.
abstract: This study investigated the effect of breast-feeding in protection against protozoan infection in infants with persistent diarrhea. Infants were classified into 2 groups; 161 breast-fed infants and the same number of non-breast-fed infants. Microscopic examinations of stool were done for detection of parasites and measuring the intensity of infection. Moreover, serum levels of IgE and TNF-α were measured by ELISA. Cryptosporidium spp., Entamoeba histolytica/Entamoeba dispar, Giardia lamblia, and Blastocystis sp. were demonstrated in infants with persistent diarrhea. The percentage of protozoan infections was significantly lower in breast-fed infants than that in the non-breast-fed infants. The levels of IgE and TNF-α were significantly lower in the breast-fed group than in the non-breast-fed group. There were significant positive associations between the serum levels of IgE and TNF-α and the intensity of parasite infection in the breast-fed group. It is suggested that breast-feeding has an attenuating effect on the rate and intensity of parasite infection.
authors: Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Minia University, Minia, 61519, Egypt.
authors: Ekhlas Hamed
authors: EH
authors: Abdel-Hafeez
authors: Usama Salah
authors: US
authors: Belal
authors: Manal Zaki Mohamed
authors: MZ
authors: Abdellatif
authors: Koji
authors: K
authors: Naoi
authors: Kazumi
authors: K
authors: Norose
mesh_terms: D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology*; D003968:Diarrhea, Infantile / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000469:parasitology; D004747:Entamoeba; D004748:Entamoeba histolytica / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004749:Entamoebiasis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000469:parasitology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D016829:Giardia lamblia; D005873:Giardiasis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000469:parasitology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007422:Intestines / Q000469:parasitology; D011528:Protozoan Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000469:parasitology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
keywords: Blastocystis; Cryptosporidium; Entamoeba dispar; Entamoeba histolytica; Giardia lamblia; IgE; TNF-α; breast milk; breast-feeding; diarrhea; intestinal protozoa