Effect of feeding human milk on nosocomial rotavirus infections in an infants ward.

Children aged 1-15 months hospitalized for different respiratory diseases (including otitis media) at an infants ward frequently developed diarrhoea during their stay in the clinic. Bacteriological examinations of stool samples were usually negative but rotavirus excretion was frequent according to ELISA tests. Children fed with human milk are assumed to be less susceptible to rotavirus infections due to the protection by maternal antibody. In view of preventive measures for avoiding rotavirus nosocomial infections a study was carried out. All children entering the infants ward and showing no sign of gastrointestinal disorders were distributed at random into two groups. The first group received a normal diet according to age, the second group received in addition 200 ml of fresh human milk per day. Serial stool samples were taken at the first day and thereafter every 3-4 days. Routine bacteriological examination and tests for rotavirus excretion were carried out. Children already excreting rotavirus at the first day were excluded from the study. Analysis of the gene segments of excreted rotavirus revealed the presence of two subspecies of rotavirus type 2 appearing at different periods during the study indicating nosocomial infections. Such infections were surprisingly frequent: 16 of 28 children started to excrete rotavirus during their stay in the ward and 8 of these 16 got diarrhoea. A statistically significant difference in the infection rate between the two groups was not observed although clinical symptoms seemed to be less severe in children fed with human milk.

RCT Entities:   Population Interventions Outcomes