Transmammary transmission of parasites and parasitic antibodies in human milk

To search about transmammary transmission of parasites and the presenee of parasitic: antibodies in breast milk, 60 lactating women were served for examination of l-current stool samples to detect any parasitic infection, 2-serum samples for assaying IgGAb against 5 parasites by ELISA and IFAT; 3-one colostrum sample followed by milk sample monthly for 5 months for detection of antiparasitic antibodies and their persistenee, and search for parasitic larvae or Toxoplasma tachyzoites. The results revealed that all colostrum and milk samples [360] were free from parasitic infection current stool samples [60] showed Ascaris in 2 cases, Ancylostoma in another 2 and Strongyloides stercoralis in one case. Antiparasitic: IgG Ab were detected by ELISA in the serum against Fasciola hepatica, Strongyloides stercoralis, Trichinella spiralis, Giardia lamblia and Toxoplasma gondii in 11.7, 6.7, 1.7, 26.7 and 16.7% of the cases, while they were in 8.3, 5, 1.7, 23.3 and 15% of the colostrum samples respectively. The IFAT showed approximately the same results. There was persistence of milk antibodies secretion which declined with the progress of lactation with variance between cases as regard the same antiparasitic antibodies and between different antiparasitic antibodies. It was concluded that there is no potential mood for transmammary passage of parasites and the few detected cases by some authors are only sporadic and rare occasion and even if this occurs colostrum and milk specially during the early months of lactation contain antiparasitic antibodies that can protect breast fed infant from parasitic infection

Immunoprotective factors of colostrum and breast milk

In this work we studied the immunological and bacteriological aspects of breast milk. The study was conducted on 70 lactating normal women. The major classes of immunoglobulins [Ig[A], Ig[G] and Ig[M]] were present in the milk throughout the period of lactation [18 months], it was observed that the highest concentration of immunoglobulins occurred in the early colostrum. Leucocytes were present in colostrum in counts similar to that present in blood. The macrophages represented the main type of cells. Polymorphonuclear leucocytes were also present. The phagocytic activity of milk leucocytes was higher than that of blood leucocytes. Milk and colostrum were contaminated with large numbers of bacteria. The colony forming unit/ml was less than 1X 10[5]. It was similar in both colostrum and milk samples. 70% of the isolated organisms were commensal organisms largely represent skin flora as coagulase negative Staph, micrococcus and diphtheroid. Potentially pathogens as Staph aureus, E. coli, Klebsiella and Streptococcus viridans were also isolated from colostrum and milk samples. We conclude that colostrum and milk protect, the infant from infection