Decreased Passive Immunity to Respiratory Viruses through Human Milk during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

ABSTRACT: Infants may develop severe viral respiratory tract infections because their immune system is still developing in the first months after birth. Human milk provides passive humoral immunity during the first months of life. During the COVID-19 pandemic, circulation of common respiratory viruses was virtually absent due to the preventative measures resulting in reduced maternal exposure. Therefore, we hypothesized that this might result in lower antibody levels in human milk during the pandemic and, subsequently, decreased protection of infants against viral respiratory tract infections. We assessed antibody levels against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), Influenza virus, and several seasonal coronaviruses in different periods of the COVID-19 pandemic in serum and human milk using a Luminex

SUBMITTER: Grobben M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9431045 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature