Perth researchers are investigating how antibodies in breastmilk could protect babies and young children from COVID-19.
Results from the University of WA study, funded by the State Government, are expected to guide breastfeeding recommendations for best infant care during the pandemic.
Using the world’s largest, long-term human milk study, researchers from UWA’s School of Molecular Sciences have been awarded $223,000 to investigate the activity of antibodies in protecting children from COVID-19.
Lead researcher Professor Valérie Verhasselt said human milk was recommended as the sole source of infant nutrition, so it was important to understand whether it could protect infants from COVID-19 and how.
“While we are 99.99% sure a child cannot get COVID-19 through breast milk, there is still much research to be done to reveal the capability of human milk to prevent COVID-19 infections,” she said.
The team will analyse 500 milk samples from 25 COVID-19 infected and 25 non-infected mothers collected at 10 time points from giving birth.
Professor Verhasselt said the study would hopefully show how maternal COVID-19 infection affected the protective effect of breastmilk and how important maternal antibodies were to protect the child from infection.
It would also look at the importance of prolonged breastfeeding to prevent infection and disease in children as well as community transmission by asymptomatic children.
Professor Verhasselt said the results would help develop vaccination strategies, including the need to vaccinate lactating mothers for the best approach to prevent COVID-19 in children.
“It may also lead to the development of new therapeutics, such as milk-derived antibodies, to prevent severe disease in at-risk populations,” she said.