Caroline J Duncombe1, Denise J McCulloch2, Kiel D Shuey2, Jennifer K Logue2, Nicholas M Franko2, Caitlin R Wolf2, Collrane J Frivold3, Helen Y Chu4. 1. Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, United States. 2. Department of Medicine, Division of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, United States. 3. Department of Medicine, Division of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, United States; Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, United States. 4. Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, United States; Department of Medicine, Division of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, United States. Electronic address: helenchu@uw.edu.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: While a growing body of literature describes antibody dynamics in serum, little is known about breast milk antibody titers in the months following SARS-CoV-2 infection. OBJECTIVES: We evaluated the dynamics of the humoral immune response to SARS-CoV-2 in two women who were breastfeeding when infected. We assessed paired breast milk and serum samples for six months post-infection for antibodies specific to the SARS-CoV-2 receptor binding domain (RBD) of the spike protein. RESULTS: Starting at 10 days after symptom onset, IgA antibody levels were persistent over a 6-month time period in human milk. For both mothers, no detectable IgA was found in the samples collected pre-symptom onset. RBD-specific IgG and IgM antibodies in tandem serum collected from the two donors demonstrated stable IgG levels over the six-month time period post-symptom onset. CONCLUSIONS: We found that breastfeeding mothers produced a durable IgA response for up to six months following COVID-19 infection, suggesting an important role for breast milk in protection of infants.
BACKGROUND: While a growing body of literature describes antibody dynamics in serum, little is known about breast milk antibody titers in the months following SARS-CoV-2 infection. OBJECTIVES: We evaluated the dynamics of the humoral immune response to SARS-CoV-2 in two women who were breastfeeding when infected. We assessed paired breast milk and serum samples for six months post-infection for antibodies specific to the SARS-CoV-2 receptor binding domain (RBD) of the spike protein. RESULTS: Starting at 10 days after symptom onset, IgA antibody levels were persistent over a 6-month time period in human milk. For both mothers, no detectable IgA was found in the samples collected pre-symptom onset. RBD-specific IgG and IgM antibodies in tandem serum collected from the two donors demonstrated stable IgG levels over the six-month time period post-symptom onset. CONCLUSIONS: We found that breastfeeding mothers produced a durable IgA response for up to six months following COVID-19infection, suggesting an important role for breast milk in protection of infants.
Authors: Cecilia Martínez-Costa; Maria Carmen Collado; Marta Selma-Royo; Christine Bäuerl; Desirée Mena-Tudela; Laia Aguilar-Camprubí; Francisco J Pérez-Cano; Anna Parra-Llorca; Carles Lerin Journal: Genome Med Date: 2022-04-21 Impact factor: 15.266