Transmammary transmission of parasites and parasitic antibodies in human milk

ABSTRACT

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