Normal Thymic Size and Low Rate of Infections in Human Donor Milk Fed HIV-Exposed Uninfected Infants from Birth to 18 Months of Age
Objective. To evaluate the immune function in HIV-exposed uninfected (HIV-EU) infants fed human donor milk. Methods. Ultrasound-obtained thymic index (Ti), T-lymphocyte subsets, and the number of infections were examined from birth to 18 months of age in 18 HIV-EU infants. The infants were compared...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2013-01-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Pediatrics |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/373790 |
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| author | Dorthe Lisbeth Jeppesen Annette Kjær Ersbøll Tine Ursula Hoppe Susanne Dam Nielsen Niels Henrik Valerius |
| author_facet | Dorthe Lisbeth Jeppesen Annette Kjær Ersbøll Tine Ursula Hoppe Susanne Dam Nielsen Niels Henrik Valerius |
| author_sort | Dorthe Lisbeth Jeppesen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objective. To evaluate the immune function in HIV-exposed uninfected (HIV-EU) infants fed human donor milk. Methods. Ultrasound-obtained thymic index (Ti), T-lymphocyte subsets, and the number of infections were examined from birth to 18 months of age in 18 HIV-EU infants. The infants were compared to a cohort of 47 term, HIV-unexposed breastfed or formula-fed infants. Results. The thymic size at 12 months of age was not significantly different between the HIV-EU group and the control infants (P=0.56). At 4 months of age, the HIV-EU infants had significantly fewer infections than the control infants (P<0.001). Furthermore, in the control group, the infants exclusively breastfed at 4 months of age had significantly fewer infections at 8 months when compared to age-matched formula-fed infants (P=0.001). Conclusion. HIV-EU infants fed human donor milk have normal growth of thymus and contract fewer infections than other healthy infants. This finding along with fewer infections in exclusively breastfed infants compared to formula-fed infants supports the beneficial effect of human milk on the immune system. We suggest, when breastfeeding is not possible, that providing human donor milk to vulnerable groups of infants will be beneficial for their maturing immune system. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-5dd1a7f291f945cd9759db7d6211c1f8 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1687-9740 1687-9759 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2013-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Pediatrics |
| spelling | doaj-art-5dd1a7f291f945cd9759db7d6211c1f82025-02-03T06:07:45ZengWileyInternational Journal of Pediatrics1687-97401687-97592013-01-01201310.1155/2013/373790373790Normal Thymic Size and Low Rate of Infections in Human Donor Milk Fed HIV-Exposed Uninfected Infants from Birth to 18 Months of AgeDorthe Lisbeth Jeppesen0Annette Kjær Ersbøll1Tine Ursula Hoppe2Susanne Dam Nielsen3Niels Henrik Valerius4Department of Paediatrics, Unit 460, Hvidovre Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Kettegaard Alle 30, 2650 Hvidovre, DenmarkNational Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Øster Farimagsgade 5 A, 1353 Copenhagen K, DenmarkDepartment of Infectious Diseases, Unit 144, Hvidovre Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Kettegaard Alle 30, 2650 Hvidovre, DenmarkDepartment of Infectious Diseases, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 9, 2100 Copenhagen Ø, DenmarkDepartment of Paediatrics, Unit 460, Hvidovre Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Kettegaard Alle 30, 2650 Hvidovre, DenmarkObjective. To evaluate the immune function in HIV-exposed uninfected (HIV-EU) infants fed human donor milk. Methods. Ultrasound-obtained thymic index (Ti), T-lymphocyte subsets, and the number of infections were examined from birth to 18 months of age in 18 HIV-EU infants. The infants were compared to a cohort of 47 term, HIV-unexposed breastfed or formula-fed infants. Results. The thymic size at 12 months of age was not significantly different between the HIV-EU group and the control infants (P=0.56). At 4 months of age, the HIV-EU infants had significantly fewer infections than the control infants (P<0.001). Furthermore, in the control group, the infants exclusively breastfed at 4 months of age had significantly fewer infections at 8 months when compared to age-matched formula-fed infants (P=0.001). Conclusion. HIV-EU infants fed human donor milk have normal growth of thymus and contract fewer infections than other healthy infants. This finding along with fewer infections in exclusively breastfed infants compared to formula-fed infants supports the beneficial effect of human milk on the immune system. We suggest, when breastfeeding is not possible, that providing human donor milk to vulnerable groups of infants will be beneficial for their maturing immune system.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/373790 |
| spellingShingle | Dorthe Lisbeth Jeppesen Annette Kjær Ersbøll Tine Ursula Hoppe Susanne Dam Nielsen Niels Henrik Valerius Normal Thymic Size and Low Rate of Infections in Human Donor Milk Fed HIV-Exposed Uninfected Infants from Birth to 18 Months of Age International Journal of Pediatrics |
| title | Normal Thymic Size and Low Rate of Infections in Human Donor Milk Fed HIV-Exposed Uninfected Infants from Birth to 18 Months of Age |
| title_full | Normal Thymic Size and Low Rate of Infections in Human Donor Milk Fed HIV-Exposed Uninfected Infants from Birth to 18 Months of Age |
| title_fullStr | Normal Thymic Size and Low Rate of Infections in Human Donor Milk Fed HIV-Exposed Uninfected Infants from Birth to 18 Months of Age |
| title_full_unstemmed | Normal Thymic Size and Low Rate of Infections in Human Donor Milk Fed HIV-Exposed Uninfected Infants from Birth to 18 Months of Age |
| title_short | Normal Thymic Size and Low Rate of Infections in Human Donor Milk Fed HIV-Exposed Uninfected Infants from Birth to 18 Months of Age |
| title_sort | normal thymic size and low rate of infections in human donor milk fed hiv exposed uninfected infants from birth to 18 months of age |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/373790 |
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