Frontiers in Pediatrics (Jun 2023)

Evaluation of the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 through breast milk: a case series

  • Yayoi Murano,
  • Yayoi Murano,
  • Yayoi Murano,
  • Shinya Yamahira,
  • Hiromichi Shoji,
  • Ken Hisata,
  • Takuya Koshizaka,
  • Tomoyuki Nakazawa,
  • Toshiaki Shimizu,
  • Mahbubur Rahman

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fped.2023.1160790
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11

Abstract

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Whether severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is transmitted through breast milk remains controversial. This study aimed to determine the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in breast milk and assess its transmissibility to the child in infancy. Eleven samples were obtained from nine mothers with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). All but one sample had negative results on a reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Among nine children, five were diagnosed with COVID-19, including one child whose mother's milk tested positive. Although SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in breast milk, its possible transmission via breastfeeding could not be established. Thus, we conclude that the physical attachment between mother and child is a conceivable transmission route.

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