In a just lately launched article in Pediatrics, authors Dolores Sabina Romero Ramírez MD and María Magdalena Lara Péreza MD and
colleagues studied the focus of antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 virus within the breastmilk
of COVID-vaccinated moms (10.1542/peds.2021-052286). On the onset of the pandemic, there was grave concern that breastmilk might transmit
the SARS-CoV-2 virus to infants; happily, good science has demonstrated that human
milk isn’t a route of an infection for the virus.1 The subsequent query, tackled on this present examine, is whether or not the breastmilk of moms
who’ve had COVID-19 vaccine may very well be protecting to their infants. We all know that breastmilk
has exceptional immuno-protective properties – however is it useful in transmitting
SARS-CoV-2 protecting antibodies to an toddler?
On this fascinating examine, performed from February 2nd to April 4th, 2021, the authors prospectively recruited a comfort pattern of healthcare professionals
who have been breastfeeding their infants on the time of their SARS-CoV-2 vaccination.
100 girls have been invited the day after their second dose of vaccine (94% obtained
Pfizer- BNT162b2 mRNA- COVID-19, and 6% obtained Moderna -mRNA-1273 COVID-19). Twenty-four
unvaccinated girls who have been breastfeeding and had not beforehand had COVID-19 illness
have been enrolled because the management group. Blood and breastmilk samples have been collected on
day 14 after the second vaccine dose. All vaccinated girls developed neutralizing
antibody titers, as outlined by the vaccine producers, and not one of the unvaccinated
girls had any detectable neutralizing antibody.
And what concerning the breastmilk? There have been no antibodies discovered within the breastmilk of
these within the management group. All vaccinated members, nonetheless, had IgG antibodies
and 89% had IgA antibodies towards the SARS-CoV-2 of their milk, and there was a robust
optimistic correlation between maternal blood and breastmilk antibody ranges. On this
examine, vaccinated moms had breastfed for a imply of 11 months, and though breastfeeding
period was not clearly related to antibody ranges for durations <24 months,
that is an space for future analysis. Many extra particulars are revealed within the paper.
Will breastfeeding be one of the best ways to “vaccinate” infants and youngsters underneath 2 years
of age towards SARS-CoV-2? This intriguing story, like so many others with COVID-19,
continues to be evolving, and this examine is another piece of the puzzle.
Reference:
1. Ramírez DSR, Lara-Pérez MM, Pérez MC, et al. Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 by
breast milk and breastfeeding: a dwelling systematic assessment. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2021 Jan;1484(1):32-54. doi: 10.1111/nyas.14477. Epub 2020 Aug 28. PMID: 32860259;
PMCID: PMC7970667.
Copyright © 2021 American Academy of Pediatrics
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