Breast milk IgA levels as a possible index to predict the onset of sepsis in infants in Kaduna State, Nigeria

Abstract

The mean Immunoglobulin A concentration in 188 colostrum, 93 transitionalmilk and 97 mature milk samples obtained from lactating mothers was206.96 (± 116.40)mg/l, 204.57 (± 123.01)mg/l and 157.65 (± 116.56)mg/lrespectively. The mean, colostrum, transitional and mature milk IgA of motherswith healthy babies was 183.48 (± 114.91) mg/l, 148.35 (± 101.07) mg/land 147.75 (± 114.6) mg/l, while values obtained from mothers whose babieswere sick were 221.22 (± 115.46)mg/l, 235.49 (± 123.75)mg/l and267.81 (± 77.89)mg/l for colostrum, transitional and mature milk respectively.The values obtained from sick babies’ mothers were †significantlyhigher (P < 0.05) than the healthy infants’ mothers. While relative to age ofmothers, the IgA concentrations did not vary significantly (P < 0.05) inhealthy babies’ mothers. However, it was varied significantly in the motherswith sick babies and showed that the concentration of IgA from the mothersaged ≤ 20 varied significantly (P < 0.05) from the mothers aged 21 – 30 and ≥31 years.