Detection of breastmilk antibodies targeting SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid, spike and receptor-binding-domain antigens

Emerg Microbes Infect. 2020 Dec;9(1):2728-2731. doi: 10.1080/22221751.2020.1858699.

Abstract

A 40-year-old female was found to have strongly neutralizing SARS-CoV-2 breastmilk IgA and IgG antibodies reactive against multiple SARS-CoV-2 antigens at 2.5 months after documented infection with SARS-CoV-2. At 6.5 months following the infection, she remained positive for breastmilk and serum SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies. Holder breast milk pasteurization did not diminish SARS-CoV-2 antibody titres but it reduced its neutralizing capacity, while serum heat inactivation had no negative effect on SARS-CoV-2 serum antibody levels and neutralizing capacity. Current data on SARS-CoV-2 and breastmilk are reviewed.

Keywords: COVID-19; IgA; IgG; SARS-CoV-2; antibody; breastmilk.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Letter

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antibodies, Viral / analysis*
  • Antigens, Viral / immunology*
  • Coronavirus Nucleocapsid Proteins / immunology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Milk, Human / immunology*
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Domains
  • Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus / immunology*

Substances

  • Antibodies, Viral
  • Antigens, Viral
  • Coronavirus Nucleocapsid Proteins
  • Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus
  • spike protein, SARS-CoV-2

Grants and funding

This work was funded by the Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust, UK [grant number 900256].