W. Nile Signs Found in Mother's Milk

By LAURAN NEERGAARD
.c The Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) - Scientists have found genetic signs of West Nile virus in
the breast milk of a new mother battling the infection.

Her baby is healthy and there's no evidence yet that West Nile virus actually
could be transmitted by breast-feeding, federal health officials stressed
Friday - but they are investigating that possibility.

Breast milk is considered the healthiest food for babies and federal
scientists stressed that mothers should not quit nursing because of fear
about this year's West Nile outbreak.

But a new mother who has a confirmed diagnosis of West Nile virus should
discuss with her doctor whether to continue breast-feeding or quit at least
temporarily, said Dr. Lyle Petersen of the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention.

``If she has severe disease and cannot breast-feed easily and provide
sufficient nutrition to her child, we certainly in that case recommend
supplemental feeding,'' he said. ``On the other hand, breast-feeding has many
beneficial effects ... and the decision to discontinue breast-feeding is a
big one.''

The 40-year-old Michigan mother gave birth on Sept. 2, and received a blood
transfusion that day and the next. She had a fever before being sent home
with her new baby on Sept. 4 - only to be rehospitalized on Sept. 17 for
three days while suffering what doctors have now confirmed was West Nile
virus.

It's not clear how she became infected but it may have been from the blood,
the CDC said. She and another patient received blood from a common donor, and
remaining blood samples from that donor show signs of contamination.

The government discovered this month that West Nile virus apparently can be
spread through blood transfusions but considers the risk low.

The mother has recovered and her infant never was sick.

She breast-fed her baby for two weeks, but her personal physician advised
quitting when she was hospitalized. A sample of her breast milk shows traces
of West Nile genetic material, the CDC announced Friday - but that's not
proof the baby was actually exposed to the virus, Petersen said.

Doctors took a sample of the baby's blood Friday to check for antibodies to
West Nile virus that would show whether the infant was exposed after birth,
said Michigan state epidemiologist Dr. Matthew Boulton. Results are due next
week.

The CDC also is testing breast milk the mother continued to pump for the
presence of actual virus.

Boulton said the woman will decide whether to resume breast-feeding after
test results are back.

There have never been signs, here or from other countries where West Nile is
rampant, that West Nile virus could be spread through breast-feeding.
Currently, doctors recommend against breast-feeding only for mothers who have
the AIDS virus or another infection called HTLV-1.

West Nile virus is predominantly spread by mosquito bites, and many
blood-borne infections cannot be spread orally because they don't survive the
stomach's acidity. But a tick-borne encephalitis that is a cousin to West
Nile can be spread through the milk of infected cows or goats, Petersen said,
so it's theoretically possible that West Nile could be, too.

West Nile virus has infected 2,206 people in 32 states so far this year and
killed 108, the CDC said.

But only four of the infections have been in babies younger than 1 year, the
typical age of breast-feeding. ``This would suggest the risk of West Nile
virus infection to breast milk is going to be low, if there is any risk at
all,'' Petersen said.

If West Nile is found to enter breast milk, it wouldn't linger there long, he
added, because people who aren't seriously infected clear the West Nile virus
out of their bodies quickly.

Most people bitten by an infected mosquito never get sick; the 20 percent who
do mostly have mild flu-like symptoms. One in 150 to 200 people, mostly the
elderly, get seriously ill.

The CDC had some good news: Although infections are continuing, the West Nile
outbreak appears to be winding down as the weather cools. Also, tropical
storm Isidore likely washed away mosquito eggs and larvae when it flooded
parts of Louisiana and Mississippi this week, possibly providing some
short-term relief for those states before mosquitoes breed again.

On the Net:

West Nile virus site: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/index.htm


             ***********************************************

To temporarily stop your subscription: set lactnet nomail
To start it again: set lactnet mail (or digest)
To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet
All commands go to [log in to unmask]

The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM)
mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html