C. Duprat et al., HUMAN-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-VIRUS TYPE-1 IGA ANTIBODY IN BREAST-MILK AND SERUM, The Pediatric infectious disease journal, 13(7), 1994, pp. 603-608
Breast-feeding plays a potentially significant role in mother to child
transmission of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). The addi
tional transmission risk attributable to breast-feeding and the factor
s that enhance or inhibit transmission are presently unknown. One mech
anism by which breast milk might inhibit HIV-1 transmission is the pre
sence of specific antibodies directed against HIV-1 in breast milk of
seropositive mothers. In this study serum and breast milk samples from
women in Nairobi, Kenya, were tested to determine the prevalence of H
IV-1 IgA antibodies. A Western blot test developed in our laboratory w
as used to detect anti-HIV-1 immunoglobulin A in serum and anti-HIV-1
secretory IgA (sIgA) in breast milk. Ninety-four percent of 63 HIV-1 s
eropositive women had anti-HIV-1 IgA in serum and 59% had anti-HIV-1 s
IgA in their breast milk. No significant associations with maternal ch
aracteristics or serum anti-HIV-1 IgA or IgG banding patterns and the
presence of anti-HIV-1 sIgA in breast milk were found. No protective e
ffect of anti-HIV-1 sIgA was seen regarding mother to child transmissi
on; however, further studies are necessary to determine the effect of
these antibodies in maternal sera or in breast milk on the efficacy of
HIV-1 transmission.