Ayesha Lavell (Netherlands)
Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity Department of Internal MedicineAuthor Of 1 Presentation
DECREASED PASSIVE IMMUNITY TO RESPIRATORY VIRUSES THROUGH HUMAN MILK DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.
Abstract
Backgrounds:
Infants may develop severe viral respiratory tract infections because their immune system is still undeveloped. 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.
Methods
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 assay.
Results:
IgG levels against RSV, Influenza, HCoV-OC43, HCoV-HKU1, and HCoVNL63 in human milk were reduced with a factor of 1.7 (p<0.001), 2.2 (p<0.01), 2.6 (p<0.05), 1.4 (p<0.01), and 2.1 (p<0.001), respectively, since the introduction of the COVID-19 restrictions. Furthermore, we observed that human milk of mothers that experienced COVID-19 contained increased levels of IgG and IgA binding to other respiratory viruses.
Conclusions/Learning Points:
Passive immunity via human milk against common respiratory viruses was reduced during the COVID-19 pandemic, which may put breastfed infants at increased risk for respiratory infections.