Human milk vacuolating cytotoxin A immunoglobulin A antibodies modify Helicobacter pylori infection in Gambian children

Clin Infect Dis. 2006 Oct 15;43(8):1040-2. doi: 10.1086/507524. Epub 2006 Sep 5.

Abstract

We collected data, including the weights, urea breath test results, and presence of maternal milk cytotoxin-associated gene-specific and vacuolating cytotoxin A-specific immunoglobulin A monthly from 48 mothers and infants (to 44 weeks of age) in The Gambia. In all, 11 children (23%) had negative urea breath test results, and 37 (77%) had positive results. Weight loss associated with Helicobacter pylori colonization was restricted to children whose mothers did not produce anti-vacuolating cytotoxin A antibodies in their milk (P=.028, by t test).

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antigens, Bacterial / immunology*
  • Bacterial Proteins / immunology*
  • Female
  • Gambia
  • Helicobacter Infections / immunology*
  • Helicobacter pylori / immunology*
  • Helicobacter pylori / pathogenicity
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Milk, Human / immunology*
  • Milk, Human / microbiology

Substances

  • Antigens, Bacterial
  • Bacterial Proteins
  • VacA protein, Helicobacter pylori
  • cagA protein, Helicobacter pylori