Abstract

OBJECTIVES
If a mother has contracted chickenpox, the antibodies in her milk confer immunity against chickenpox to her breastfed babies. This passive immunization may avoid or spare the breastfed babies' symptoms of chickenpox. It is hypothesized that frozen breast milk may shorten chickenpox duration because specific antibodies against varicella zoster have been detected in human milk and they are resistant to digestion and are stable in frozen milk.
DESIGN
The clinical outcomes of chickenpox in a 9-year-old boy and his father on frozen breast milk are reported.
SETTINGS
The study comprised a varicella-vaccine-refusing family attending a private office of pediatrics.
INTERVENTIONS AND RESULTS
The boy presented with a crusted varicella rash. The medical history revealed premature cessation of the typical varicella rash on day 3. It was coincidental with a supply of frozen human milk by his mother. Next, the father (41 years old) of this patient contracted chickenpox: he was on frozen breast milk from day 2, and no new pox emerged thereafter.
CONCLUSIONS
The rash spread and numbered 50 to 150 lesions on day 2. Instead, the typical rash was expected to appear in three successive crops of lesions throughout the first week. The disease usually numbers approximately 250-500 lesions in unvaccinated healthy persons. Frozen breast milk may shorten chickenpox duration.

Links

Publisher Full Text

Publisher Full Text

Authors

Verd S, López E

Institution

Department of Pediatrics, Hospital de Santa Cruz y San Pablo, Barcelona, Spain. drsverd@terra.es

Source

Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.) 18:8 2012 Aug pg 808-10

MeSH

Adult
Antibodies
Biological Agents
Chickenpox
Chickenpox Vaccine
Child
Drug Stability
Drug Storage
Exanthema
Freezing
Herpes Zoster
Humans
Male
Milk, Human
Mothers
Patient Acceptance of Health Care
Treatment Outcome
Vaccination

Pub Type(s)

Case Reports
Journal Article

Language

eng

PubMed ID

22845343