Background: Cytomegalovirus (CMV)-infected human milk (HM) can lead to significant CMV morbidity and mortality in preterm very-low-birth weight infants. The eradication of CMV in HM while preserving its properties poses a major clinical challenge. Objective: We aimed to compare two methods used to neutralize the virus in HM, one recognized as partially effective (freezing) and another not tested to date (microwave exposure). Materials and Methods: We sampled HM from 31 CMV-seropositive mothers whose infants were hospitalized at the Lis Maternity Hospital. Fifteen samples that were positive for CMV antigen were divided into five 5 mL aliquots: the first a control, the second was frozen at −20°C for 1 day, the third was frozen at −200°C for 3 days, and the fourth and fifth aliquots were exposed for 30 seconds to microwave radiation at a low-power setting (500 W) and high-power setting (750 W), respectively. Results: Only microwave radiation at a high-power setting led to complete neutralization of CMV in all samples. Low-power microwave irradiation had a 13% failure rate while 3-day freezing and 1-day freezing had failure rates of 7% and 20%, respectively. Conclusion: It is possible to eradicate CMV successfully in HM by using microwave radiation at a high-power setting. Further studies are needed to evaluate the effect of microwave heating on breast milk properties.

To test the hypothesis that age at menarche is inversely related to body mass index (BMI).

Background: Helicobacter pylori, one of the most common bacterial pathogens in humans, is generally acquired during childhood. The inverse correlation between H. pylori colonization and obesity that was found in adults has not been investigated in depth in children. Our aim was to assess the correlation between overweight and obesity and H. pylori colonization in a pediatric population. Methods: H. pylori colonization in 70 symptomatic children was determined after antral biopsies during esophagogastroduodenoscopy. Data on anthropometric measurements, sociodemographic characteristics, and medical history were recorded. Results: The participants' mean age was 12.41 ± 3.16 years, 58% were females, and 24% were obese or overweight (BMI >85th percentile). The H. pylori colonization rate was 31%. There were no significant differences between the H. pylori-infected and H. pylori-noninfected groups in terms of age, gender, or clinical and sociodemographic characteristics. Nevertheless, the prevalence of overweight and obesity was significantly lower in children with H. pylori colonization compared to children with normal histology (31% in the noninfected group compared to 11% in the infected group, p = 0.04). The mean fat percentage was 24.3 ± 8.8 and 19.4 ± 6.9, respectively (p = 0.02). Conclusions: The findings of this prospective study are in agreement with previous studies and demonstrate an inverse relationship between H. pylori colonization and overweight or obesity among symptomatic children. A larger prospective, multiethnic investigation is warranted to more definitively determine the extent of this association.

Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) stimulate the growth of gut commensals, prevent the adhesion of enteropathogens and modulate host immunity. The major factors influencing variations in the HMO profile are polymorphisms in the secretor (Se) or Lewis (Le) gene, which affect the activity of the enzymes fucoslytransferase 2 and 3 (FUT2 and FUT3) that lead to the formation of four major fucosylated and non-fucosylated oligosaccharides (OS). This pilot study aimed to determine the HMO profile of Israeli breastfeeding mothers of 16 term and 4 preterm infants, from a single tertiary center in the Tel Aviv area. Fifty-two human milk samples were collected from 20 mothers at three-time points: colostrum, transitional milk and mature milk. The concentrations of nine HMOs were assessed using liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectra chromatograms. Fifty-five percent of the mothers were secretors and 45% were non-secretors. Infant sex affected HMO levels depending on the maternal secretor status. Secretor mothers to boys had higher levels of FUT2-dependent OS and higher levels of disialyllacto-N-tetraose in the milk of mothers to girls, whereas non-secretor mothers to girls had higher levels of 3′-sialyllactose. In addition, the season at which the human milk samples were obtained affected the levels of some HMOs, resulting in significantly lower levels in the summer. Our findings provide novel information on the irregularity in the HMO profile among Israeli lactating women and identify several factors contributing to this variability.

Tandem breastfeeding is defined as two or more offspring of different ages who are breastfed by their mother at the same time. Breastfeeding during pregnancy and tandem breastfeeding have not been widely investigated. To determine the influence of tandem breastfeeding on the macronutrient content of human milk. This longitudinal study used a prospective and a retrospective group. Human milk samples from tandem-breastfeeding participants (n = 18) were compared to samples from non-tandem-breastfeeding participants (n = 31). Samples were collected during the last month of pregnancy (pregnancy milk), 72 hr after birth (colostrum) and 14–60 days post-delivery (mature milk). Macronutrients were measured by mid-infrared spectroscopy. Fat content in pregnancy milk was lower than in mature milk (p < .01). Protein content was higher in pregnancy milk than in colostrum and mature milk (p < .01 and p < .001, respectively). Inversely, carbohydrate content in pregnancy milk was lower than in colostrum and mature milk (p = .02 and p < .01, respectively). Fat and energy contents in pregnancy milk of tandem-breastfeeding participants were lower than in mature milk of non-tandem-breastfeeding participants (p < .001 and p < .01, respectively), and protein content was higher than in mature milk (p < .001). Carbohydrate content in colostrum and mature milk of tandem-breastfeeding participants was higher than that of non-tandem-breastfeeding participants (p < .001 for both). Human milk produced during pregnancy had different macronutrient content than human milk produced after delivery. Colostrum and mature milk of tandem-breastfeeding participants were similar to human milk produced by non-tandem-breastfeeding participants, with the exception of carbohydrate content.