Newburg DS, Peterson JA, Ruiz Palacios GM, Matson DO, Morrow AL, Shults J, et al. Role of human-milk lactadherin in protection against symptomatic rotavirus infection. The Lancet, 351(9110): 1160-4, 1998.
Human milk contains a glycoprotein called lactadherin, which specifically attaches to rotaviruses and inhibits their settling on the gut wall. This study was done to demonstrate the hypothesis that lactadherin protects against symptomatic rotavirus infection. 200 infants born in Mexico City were evaluated, and their levels of specific antibodies were measured. Samples of breast milk were also analyzed weekly for the first four weeks of the infants' lives, and then monthly. In the samples taken immediately before an episode of rotavirus infection, the amounts of lactadherin, butyrophenone, mucin and IgA secretory were analyzed. 31 infants developed rotavirus infections; 15 had symptoms and 16 had no symptoms. The only difference between the infants who showed symptoms and those who did not was that the concentration of lactadherin was significantly higher (p<0.001) in the infants without symptoms. The authorsconcluded that the protection that breast milk provides against symptomatic rotavirus infection is associated with this glycoprotein.