LACTNET Archives

Lactation Information and Discussion

LACTNET@COMMUNITY.LSOFT.COM

Options: Use Forum View

Use Monospaced Font
Show Text Part by Default
Show All Mail Headers

Message: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]
Topic: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]
Author: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]

Print Reply
Subject:
From:
Karen Wilson <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Lactation Information and Discussion <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Fri, 22 Jan 2010 18:39:38 -0500
Content-Type:
text/plain
Parts/Attachments:
text/plain (20 lines)
Unfortunately, I can't answer your question with a study. I can say that the risk is theoretical and that to my knowledge there has never been a documented case of transmission of CJD via mother's milk. It seems that we still don't know much about mad cow disease or the transmission that causes CJD in humans (other than as Catherine Watson Genna stated). 

We screen our donors as such: mothers who have travelled to the UK for more than 3 months total since 1980, lived in select countries in Europe for more than 5 years total, or have a blood relative with CJD are ineligible to donate milk. Additionally, we screen out donors who have ever received donor brain tissue or pituitary growth hormones.

Human milk banking donor criteria and screening are almost identical to those for as blood donation (HMBANA uses the American Association of Blood Banking guidelines). If a doctor is concerned about transmission of mad cow disease via banked milk, then I'm sure he/she also understands that the risk of using banked blood products to be the same, if not higher (milk is further removed from direct blood transmission). If this doctor or facility is using mad cow disease to justify a fear of banked milk, let them know that they may want to stop use of banked blood products as well. I know of no hospital in North America that would find that acceptable.

Karen Wilson, RN, IBCLC
Mother's Milk Bank of Denver

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

Archives: http://community.lsoft.com/archives/LACTNET.html
To reach list owners: [log in to unmask]
Mail all list management commands to: [log in to unmask]
COMMANDS:
1. To temporarily stop your subscription write in the body of an email: set lactnet nomail
2. To start it again: set lactnet mail
3. To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet
4. To get a comprehensive list of rules and directions: get lactnet welcome

ATOM RSS1 RSS2