Immunological aspects of breast feeding
Hausner, G.J.; Spirer, Z.
Harefuah 95(2): 90-92
1978
ISSN/ISBN: 0017-7768 PMID: 700489 Document Number: 133811
Studies which demonstrated the beneficial effects of mothers' milk in preventing neonatal diarrhoea and enterocolitis in humans and rats are reviewed. Factors in human milk which have been shown to have bactericidal or bacterial action in vitro against staphylococci and Escherichia coli are lactoperoxidase, lactoferrin and lysozyme which are either absent from cows' milk or in much lower concn. The effect of human milk in promoting growth of Bifidobacterium bifidum and lowering gastric pH in neonates also inhibits bacterial development. Current knowledge of the structure and function of human IgA is reviewed and the relationship between the various factors and the leucocytes in human milk is also outlined.