@Article{,
AUTHOR = {Irmeli Roine, J. Alonso Fernandez, Alicia Vásquez, Marianella Cáneo},
TITLE = {Breastfeeding reduces immune activation in primary respiratory syncytial virus infection},
JOURNAL = {European Cytokine Network},
VOLUME = {16},
YEAR = {2005},
NUMBER = {3},
PAGES = {206--210},
URL = {http://www.techscience.com/ECN/v16n3/66215},
ISSN = {1952-4005},
ABSTRACT = {In epidemiological studies of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) disease, breast milk has proven to
be beneficial. However, a host mechanism that is associated with both disease severity and that is capable of being
modulated by breast milk, has not yet been identified. Both the predominance of interleukin-10 (IL-10) over
interferon-c (IFN-γ), and high soluble interleukin-2 receptor antagonist (sCD25) concentrations have been
associated with RSV severity. We explored if they were modulated by breastfeeding. Previously healthy Chilean
infants from Santiago with RSV infection (n = 349) were consecutively enrolled in the study if they were term
births, without underlying pathology. Breastfeeding was described as absent or present, and if partial or exclusive.
Immune response was expressed through plasma concentrations of IFN-γ, IL-10 and sCD25, obtained both in the
acute and the recovery phase. The acute phase sCD25 concentrations were lower in the breastfed (13.8 ng/mL, n
=133), compared with the non-breastfed infants (15.9 ng/mL, n 27, p = 0.015). The difference increased in infants
below 3 months of age (p = 0.006) and with exclusive (p = 0.004), compared to partial breastfeeding (p = 0.025).
When analyzed together with age, sex, severity and environment, breastfeeding was the only independent
predictor of high sCD25 concentrations (above mean + 1SD, OR 4.6, 95% CI 1.8-11.9, p = 0.0015). The recovery
phase IFN-γ/IL-10 ratio was higher in the breastfed infants, but when analyzed with potential confounding
factors, only female sex was associated with an increased ratio (OR 2.32, 95% CI 1.02-5.29, p = 0.045). High
sCD25 concentrations during the acute phase of infection, previously associated with severe RSV disease, were
significantly and independently reduced in association with breastfeeding, whereas the Th1/Th3 balance was only
modified in the recovery phase.},
DOI = {}
}