Moshe Ben-Shoshan1,2, Dror Mandel1,2,3, Ronit Lubetzky1,2,3, Shaul Dollberg3,4,5, Francis B Mimouni3,6. 1. 1 Department of Neonatology, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center , Tel Aviv, Israel . 2. 2 Department of Pediatrics, "Dana Dwek" Children's Hospital, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center , Tel Aviv, Israel . 3. 3 Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University , Tel Aviv, Israel . 4. 4 Department of Neonatology, The Helen Schneider Hospital for Women, Rabin Medical Center , Petah Tikva, Israel . 5. 5 Department of Philosophy, Bar Ilan University , Ramat Gan, Israel . 6. 6 Department of Neonatology, Shaare Zedek Medical Center , Jerusalem, Israel .
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Cytomegalovirus (CMV)-infected human milk (HM) can lead to significant CMV morbidity and mortality in preterm very-low-birth weight infants. The eradication of CMV in HM while preserving its properties poses a major clinical challenge. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to compare two methods used to neutralize the virus in HM, one recognized as partially effective (freezing) and another not tested to date (microwave exposure). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We sampled HM from 31 CMV-seropositive mothers whose infants were hospitalized at the Lis Maternity Hospital. Fifteen samples that were positive for CMV antigen were divided into five 5 mL aliquots: the first a control, the second was frozen at -20°C for 1 day, the third was frozen at -200°C for 3 days, and the fourth and fifth aliquots were exposed for 30 seconds to microwave radiation at a low-power setting (500 W) and high-power setting (750 W), respectively. RESULTS: Only microwave radiation at a high-power setting led to complete neutralization of CMV in all samples. Low-power microwave irradiation had a 13% failure rate while 3-day freezing and 1-day freezing had failure rates of 7% and 20%, respectively. CONCLUSION: It is possible to eradicate CMV successfully in HM by using microwave radiation at a high-power setting. Further studies are needed to evaluate the effect of microwave heating on breast milk properties.
BACKGROUND:Cytomegalovirus (CMV)-infectedhuman milk (HM) can lead to significant CMV morbidity and mortality in preterm very-low-birth weight infants. The eradication of CMV in HM while preserving its properties poses a major clinical challenge. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to compare two methods used to neutralize the virus in HM, one recognized as partially effective (freezing) and another not tested to date (microwave exposure). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We sampled HM from 31 CMV-seropositive mothers whose infants were hospitalized at the Lis Maternity Hospital. Fifteen samples that were positive for CMV antigen were divided into five 5 mL aliquots: the first a control, the second was frozen at -20°C for 1 day, the third was frozen at -200°C for 3 days, and the fourth and fifth aliquots were exposed for 30 seconds to microwave radiation at a low-power setting (500 W) and high-power setting (750 W), respectively. RESULTS: Only microwave radiation at a high-power setting led to complete neutralization of CMV in all samples. Low-power microwave irradiation had a 13% failure rate while 3-day freezing and 1-day freezing had failure rates of 7% and 20%, respectively. CONCLUSION: It is possible to eradicate CMV successfully in HM by using microwave radiation at a high-power setting. Further studies are needed to evaluate the effect of microwave heating on breast milk properties.