1
|
Valverde-Merino MI, Gomez-Guzman M, Piquer-Martinez C, Cabezas Lopez MD, Zarzuelo MJ. The importance of COVID-19 vaccination during lactation. Infect Dis Now 2024; 54:104831. [PMID: 37952583 DOI: 10.1016/j.idnow.2023.104831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Revised: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023]
Abstract
The World Health Organization strongly supports breastfeeding as the main source of infant feeding to ensure maternal and child health. Since its emergence, COVID-19 has become a disease affecting the health of the world's population, and vaccines have been developed to prevent it. However, the decision to license COVID-19 vaccines for infants under 6 months of age has been delayed. Different studies have shown that during the breastfeeding period, the benefit-risk balance is much higher in favor of the benefit, at the immunological level for the infant, due to its low perception of adverse effects and the low transmission of products such as mRNA from the mother to the child. Different organizations and societies recommend vaccination in breastfeeding women. COVID-19 vaccines have been shown to be safe and effective.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maria Isabel Valverde-Merino
- Pharmaceutical Care Research Group. Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology. Faculty of Pharmacy. University of Granada, Spain
| | - Manuel Gomez-Guzman
- Department of Pharmacology. Faculty of Pharmacy. University of Granada, Spain
| | - Celia Piquer-Martinez
- Pharmaceutical Care Research Group. Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology. Faculty of Pharmacy. University of Granada, Spain
| | - Maria Dolores Cabezas Lopez
- Pharmaceutical Care Research Group. Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology. Faculty of Pharmacy. University of Granada, Spain
| | - Maria Jose Zarzuelo
- Pharmaceutical Care Research Group. Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology. Faculty of Pharmacy. University of Granada, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Saito J, Yakuwa N, Hosokawa Y, Hamada H, Suzuki T, Sago H, Kaneko K, Yamatani A, Murashima A. Establishment of a measurement system to evaluate breast milk transfer of biological agents using dry filter paper: A multi-institutional study. Br J Clin Pharmacol 2024; 90:146-157. [PMID: 37548054 DOI: 10.1111/bcp.15876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Revised: 07/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023] Open
Abstract
AIMS Information on breastfeeding and safety of biologics in infants is lacking due to difficulties in case collection. We evaluated methods for determining the concentration of biologics in breast milk using a dry filter method that can simplify the collection, storage and transport of breast milk. METHODS To generate dried filter paper (DFP) samples, approximately 30 μL of breast milk was placed onto a Whatman 903 card and punched out. After extraction, the supernatant was measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Three concentrations of each drug were prepared in liquid breast milk (LBM) and DFP samples to determine their stability up to 28 days after storage at 2-8°C or -20°C for LBM and 25 ± 5°C for DFP. LBM and DFP samples were also provided by nursing mothers using biologics during lactation, and drug concentrations in both samples were compared. The agreement between the two measurement methods was confirmed by Bland-Altman analysis. RESULTS Breast milk was provided by 12 mothers who used biologics (tocilizumab, abatacept, etanercept, golimumab, sarilumab and belimumab). The coefficients of variation for within-run and between-run precision for the six drugs were within 15% for both LBM and DFP, and accuracy was within 90%-110% of the quality controls. After 28 days, concentrations remained at more than 90%. The difference between the values obtained by each method was within the acceptable range of error (-12.1 to +16.6 ng/mL). CONCLUSIONS A method for determining the concentration of biologics using DFP is expected to help improve pharmacotherapy for lactating women.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jumpei Saito
- Department of Pharmacy, National Center for Child Health and Development, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Naho Yakuwa
- Pregnancy and Drug Information Center, National Center for Child Health and Development, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yoshihiko Hosokawa
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Tsukuba Hospital, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Hiromi Hamada
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Tsukuba Hospital, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Tomo Suzuki
- Division of Obstetrics, National Center for Child Health and Development, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Haruhiko Sago
- Division of Obstetrics, National Center for Child Health and Development, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kayoko Kaneko
- Center for Maternal-Fetal, Neonatal and Reproductive Medicine, National Center for Child Health and Development, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Akimasa Yamatani
- Department of Pharmacy, National Center for Child Health and Development, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Atsuko Murashima
- Center for Maternal-Fetal, Neonatal and Reproductive Medicine, National Center for Child Health and Development, Tokyo, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Bäuerl C, Zulaica J, Rusu L, Moreno AR, Pérez-Cano FJ, Lerin C, Mena-Tudela D, Aguilar-Camprubí L, Parra-Llorca A, Martínez-Costa C, Geller R, Collado MC. Assessment of SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibody titers in breastmilk from convalescent and vaccinated mothers. iScience 2023; 26:106802. [PMID: 37197591 PMCID: PMC10158041 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Breastmilk contains antibodies that could protect breastfed infants from infections. In this work, we examined if antibodies in breastmilk could neutralize SARS-CoV-2 in 84 breastmilk samples from women that were either vaccinated (Comirnaty, mRNA-1273, or ChAdOx1), infected with SARS-CoV-2, or both infected and vaccinated. The neutralization capacity of these sera was tested using pseudotyped vesicular stomatitis virus carrying either the Wuhan-Hu-1, Delta, or BA.1 Omicron spike proteins. We found that natural infection resulted in higher neutralizing titers and that neutralization correlated positively with levels of immunoglobulin A in breastmilk. In addition, significant differences in the capacity to produce neutralizing antibodies were observed between both mRNA-based vaccines and the adenovirus-vectored ChAdOx1 COVID-19 vaccine. Overall, our results indicate that breastmilk from naturally infected women or those vaccinated with mRNA-based vaccines contains SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies that could potentially provide protection to breastfed infants from infection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christine Bäuerl
- Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology- National Research Council (IATA-CSIC), 46980 Paterna, Valencia, Spain
| | - Joao Zulaica
- Institute for Integrative Systems Biology (ISysBio), University of Valencia-CSIC, 46980 Paterna, Valencia, Spain
| | - Luciana Rusu
- Institute for Integrative Systems Biology (ISysBio), University of Valencia-CSIC, 46980 Paterna, Valencia, Spain
| | - Alicia Rodríguez Moreno
- Institute for Integrative Systems Biology (ISysBio), University of Valencia-CSIC, 46980 Paterna, Valencia, Spain
| | - Francisco J. Pérez-Cano
- Physiology Section, Department of Biochemistry and Physiology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Science and Institute of Research in Nutrition and Food Safety (INSA), University of Barcelona (UB), 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Carles Lerin
- Endocrinology department, Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, 08950 Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Diabetes y Enfermedades Metabólicas Asociadas (CIBERDEM), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Desirée Mena-Tudela
- Department of Nursing, Nursing Research Group, Universitat Jaume I, Castellón, Spain
| | | | - Anna Parra-Llorca
- Health Research Institute La Fe, Neonatal Research Group, Spain and University and Polytechnic Hospital La Fe, Division of Neonatology, 46026 Valencia, Spain
| | - Cecilia Martínez-Costa
- Department of Pediatrics, Hospital Clínico Universitario, University of Valencia, Spain. Nutrition Research Group of INCLIVA, 46010 Valencia, Spain
| | - Ron Geller
- Institute for Integrative Systems Biology (ISysBio), University of Valencia-CSIC, 46980 Paterna, Valencia, Spain
| | - Maria Carmen Collado
- Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology- National Research Council (IATA-CSIC), 46980 Paterna, Valencia, Spain
| | - MilkCORONA study team
- Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology- National Research Council (IATA-CSIC), 46980 Paterna, Valencia, Spain
- Institute for Integrative Systems Biology (ISysBio), University of Valencia-CSIC, 46980 Paterna, Valencia, Spain
- Physiology Section, Department of Biochemistry and Physiology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Science and Institute of Research in Nutrition and Food Safety (INSA), University of Barcelona (UB), 08028 Barcelona, Spain
- Endocrinology department, Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, 08950 Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Diabetes y Enfermedades Metabólicas Asociadas (CIBERDEM), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Department of Nursing, Nursing Research Group, Universitat Jaume I, Castellón, Spain
- LactApp Women Health, Barcelona, Spain
- Health Research Institute La Fe, Neonatal Research Group, Spain and University and Polytechnic Hospital La Fe, Division of Neonatology, 46026 Valencia, Spain
- Department of Pediatrics, Hospital Clínico Universitario, University of Valencia, Spain. Nutrition Research Group of INCLIVA, 46010 Valencia, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Shook LL, Edlow AG. Safety and Efficacy of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) mRNA Vaccines During Lactation. Obstet Gynecol 2023; 141:483-491. [PMID: 36649326 PMCID: PMC9975040 DOI: 10.1097/aog.0000000000005093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
In this review, we summarize the data on the safety and side-effect profile of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines during lactation to date, review what is known about mRNA vaccine components in breast milk, and discuss the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines in providing immune protection for the breastfeeding infant. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommend that lactating individuals receive COVID-19 mRNA vaccines and stay up to date on booster doses, including the bivalent COVID-19 booster. The lack of serious side effects in mothers or infants across numerous large studies and registries of COVID-19 vaccination in pregnancy and lactation is reassuring. Although small quantities of mRNA may be transiently detectable in breast milk after maternal vaccination, there are no data demonstrating that vaccine mRNA can survive the infant gastrointestinal tract and no evidence that breast milk from lactating individuals who have received a COVID-19 mRNA vaccine can cause harm to breastfeeding infants. In contrast, numerous studies demonstrate that the breast milk of vaccinated individuals contains severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)-specific functional antibodies and T cells, which benefit the breastfeeding infant's developing immune system. Transfer of SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies from mother to infant is highest when vaccination occurs during pregnancy compared with lactation, because the breastfeeding infant receives both long-lasting antibodies through the placenta and breast-milk antibodies through breast milk. With clear data demonstrating efficacy and safety and no data demonstrating harm to mother or infant after COVID-19 vaccine administration during lactation, any recommendations to avoid vaccination while breastfeeding or to withhold breast milk from the infant for any period of time after vaccination are not supported by available evidence.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lydia L. Shook
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Vincent Center for Reproductive Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Andrea G. Edlow
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Vincent Center for Reproductive Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Pieri M, Maniori MA, Shahabian L, Kanaan E, Paphiti-Demetriou I, Pipis S, Felekkis K, Nicolaidou V, Papaneophytou C. Survival of Vaccine-Induced Human Milk SARS-CoV-2 IgG, IgA and SIgA Immunoglobulins across Simulated Human Infant Gastrointestinal Digestion. Nutrients 2022; 14:3368. [PMID: 36014873 PMCID: PMC9415426 DOI: 10.3390/nu14163368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Revised: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Breastfeeding can be a vital way of acquiring passive immunity via the transfer of antibodies from the mother to the breastfeeding infant. Recent evidence points to the fact that human milk contains immunoglobulins (Ig) against the SARS-CoV-2 virus, either after natural infection or vaccination, but whether these antibodies can resist enzymatic degradation during digestion in the infant gastrointestinal (GI) tract or indeed protect the consumers remains inconclusive. Herein, we evaluated the levels of IgG, IgA, and secretory IgA (SIgA) antibodies against the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 in 43 lactating mothers who received at least two doses of either an mRNA-based vaccine (Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna; n = 34) or an adenovirus-based vaccine (AstraZeneca; n = 9). We also accessed the potential persistence of SARS-CoV-2 IgA, IgG, and secretory IgA (SIgA) antibodies from vaccinated women in the GI tract of the infants by means of a static in vitro digestion protocol. Our data depict that, although slightly reduced, the IgA antibodies produced after vaccination resist both the gastric and intestinal phases of infant digestion, whereas the IgGs are more prone to degradation in both phases of digestion. Additionally, SIgA antibodies were found to greatly resist the gastric phase of digestion albeit showing some reduction during the intestinal phase. The evaluation of the vaccine induced Ig profile of breastmilk, and the extent to which these antibodies can resist digestion in the infant GI tract provide important information about the potential protective role of this form of passive immunity that could help decision making during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Myrtani Pieri
- Department of Life and Health Sciences, University of Nicosia, 46 Makedonitissas Avenue, Nicosia CY-1700, Cyprus
| | - Maria-Arsenia Maniori
- Department of Life and Health Sciences, University of Nicosia, 46 Makedonitissas Avenue, Nicosia CY-1700, Cyprus
| | - Lucy Shahabian
- Department of Life and Health Sciences, University of Nicosia, 46 Makedonitissas Avenue, Nicosia CY-1700, Cyprus
| | - Elie Kanaan
- Department of Life and Health Sciences, University of Nicosia, 46 Makedonitissas Avenue, Nicosia CY-1700, Cyprus
| | | | - Spyros Pipis
- Medical School, University of Nicosia, Nicosia CY-2408, Cyprus
- Aretaeio Hospital, 55-57, Andrea Avraamidi St, Strovolos, Nicosia CY-2024, Cyprus
| | - Kyriakos Felekkis
- Department of Life and Health Sciences, University of Nicosia, 46 Makedonitissas Avenue, Nicosia CY-1700, Cyprus
| | - Vicky Nicolaidou
- Department of Life and Health Sciences, University of Nicosia, 46 Makedonitissas Avenue, Nicosia CY-1700, Cyprus
| | - Christos Papaneophytou
- Department of Life and Health Sciences, University of Nicosia, 46 Makedonitissas Avenue, Nicosia CY-1700, Cyprus
| |
Collapse
|