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Impact of vaccination during pregnancy and staphylococci concentration on the presence of Bacillus cereus in raw human milk

Journal of Perinatology volume 40, pages 1323–1330 (2020)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Objective

This study aimed to determine whether vaccination during pregnancy, prematurity, and staphylococci concentration influenced the presence of B. cereus or staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEs) in raw human milk from healthy mothers.

Study design

Human milk samples were collected from 152 healthy women. B. cereus, S. aureus and coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) were enumerated using selective agar culture media. The detection of B. cereus spores and SEs were determined using ELISA.

Results

CNS and B. cereus concentrations in milk from non-vaccinated mothers were higher than that from mothers vaccinated during pregnancy, but S. aureus did not differ. Prematurity did not affect B. cereus or staphylococci in human milk. S. aureus and CNS concentrations in human milk with the presence of B. cereus were higher than that with the absence of B. cereus. Viable B. cereus was present in 9.2% of raw human milk samples whereas SEs were not detected in any samples.

Conclusions

Vaccination during pregnancy and low concentration of staphylococci could reduce the risk of B. cereus in raw human milk. The screening of B. cereus in raw human milk must be performed before pasteurization to reduce the risk of B. cereus infection in preterm infants.

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Acknowledgements

We thank all study participants for their valuable contributions. We also thank Adrianne Weir and Jennifer Medo for the recruitment of mothers and the management of milk samples.

Funding

The authors disclosed receipt of the financial support from Medolac Laboratories A Public Benefit Corporation for the conduct of the study.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neonatal Immunology and Microbiology, Medolac Laboratories A Public Benefit Corporation, Boulder City, NV, USA

    Veronique Demers-Mathieu, Gabrielle Mathijssen, Shawn Fels, Donald H. Chace & Elena Medo

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  1. Veronique Demers-Mathieu
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  2. Gabrielle Mathijssen
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  3. Shawn Fels
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  4. Donald H. Chace
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  5. Elena Medo
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Contributions

Dr. VDM conceptualized and designed the study, carried out the analyses and the statistical analysis, drafted the manuscript, and approved the final paper as submitted. VDM have primary responsibility for the final content. GM carried out some ELISA analyses and EM conceptualized the study. GM, SF, DHC, and EM critically revised the paper and approved the final paper as submitted.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Veronique Demers-Mathieu.

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The authors are employees of Medolac Laboratories A Public Benefit Corporation.

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Demers-Mathieu, V., Mathijssen, G., Fels, S. et al. Impact of vaccination during pregnancy and staphylococci concentration on the presence of Bacillus cereus in raw human milk. J Perinatol 40, 1323–1330 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41372-019-0586-4

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