Lynn you wrote, "As for MRSA and breast milk, the fact is that premies fed MRSA contaminated breast milk via NG tubes have developed MRSA sepsis and died but the response to this remains in question. Below is a link to a story from Scotland (i think) where an almost 6 lb "premie" was isolated from his family d/t MRSA. www.iomonline.co.uk/ViewArticle2. aspx?SectionID=870&ArticleID=867256" MRSA is definitely a cause for serious concern for all of us, whether the concern is professional or personal. But I have to question your statement that "the facts are that premies fed MRSA contaminated breast milk via NG tubes have developed MRSA and died..." The article regarding a Dr. Dawn M. Terashita presenting her findings to the American Society for Microbiology is obviously media-worthy but there is no research paper available at the moment. Thus we are dependent on the news article for the facts. (I could not access the article you posted only the article posted by Jodine, so I cannot comment to that particular article.) Why do scientists believe that if you find a microbe in breastmilk that means it is contaminated and the source of infection for infants? What are the facts regarding this belief? According to many biotechnologists the mammary gland is a bioreactor of proteins/antibodies, and thus women naturally produce "drugs" that are specific to the pathogens in the environment. If this is true (I assume this is true because the pharmaceutical industry is investing in our 'magic bullets"), then exactly what are we seeing under the microscope? Are we seeing the process of disease or are we seeing the process of vaccination (antibody production)? I would think that we should assume that we are seeing a healthy system that is trying to protect the infant. There is an interesting article called "Hospital ICU's a breeding place for bacteria." The article states, " Bacteria can hide anywhere, and they can collect on clothing, blankets, walls and medical equipment. Hospital workers can pass them on by hand and they can cling to tubes inserted into the body. Patients in the ICU are generally the weakest, which puts them at even more risk for infection." The article also states, "The intensive care unit is the single most infectious place in the world when it comes to antibiotic resistant bacteria," A statement made by Dr, Alexander Tomasz of NY's Rockefeller University, a drug-resistant expert. http://augustachronicle.com/stories/051997/tech_hospitalbugs.html How did Dr. Terashita determine that it was breastmilk alone that contaminated those infants? What kind of contacts did the mother and infant have? Was the mother pumping only? A number of babies had MRSA exposure in the particular NICU. Was the mother providing breastmilk to all those other babies, too? Were these babies getting just human milk or were they also getting fortifiers or infant formula? Was equipment and NICU staff tested for MRSA? Where these babies ever at the breast? We don't know because we don't have any facts. We are depending on the media's presentation of the facts. There are a number of patents at the US Patent & Trademark Office in which human milk components lactoferrin and lysozyme are used to inactivate staphlococcus aureus among other microbes. Thus we have the pharmaceutical industries poised to use recombinants of human milk components to treat these kind of infections. I believe Agennix, the company that makes recombinant human lactoferrin, states that antibiotic resistance to their product has not occurred and will not occurr. We have the meat industry spraying activated lactoferrin on its meat to prevent bacterial contamination (specifically mentioning staphylococcus aureus besides other pathogens). Thus we have the scientific research that shows us that human milk components inactivate this bacteria and companies have formed to market the products based on this research. But we will believe without seeing the research, that MRSA in breastmilk infects babies and kills them? As far as I am concerned, this is just HIV all over again. The CDC in 1985 based their policies on HIV and breastfeeding based on 2 letters written to the Lancet (4 cases total). Letters are not research, not peer-reviewed. The foundation of CDC policy on hiv and breastfeeding rests on what two scientists wrote in two letters involving 4 cases. Are we going to do the same with MRSA and breastfeeding? Valerie W. McClain, breastfeeding advocate *********************************************** 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(R) mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to: http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html