Abstract
Breast milk provides a superior source of nutrition and many other health benefits to the newborn infant. However, breastfeeding has also been recognized as a route of transmission to the newborn of some important pathogens that may result in disease. In the present article, up-to-date research and recommendations on the maternal transmission of infectious pathogens in breast milk or by breastfeeding are discussed in the context of local epidemiology and in the setting of an industrialized country.
MeSH terms
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Adult
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Bacterial Infections / epidemiology
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Bacterial Infections / transmission
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Communicable Diseases / epidemiology*
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Communicable Diseases / transmission*
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Female
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Humans
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Incidence
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Infant, Newborn
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Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical*
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Male
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Milk, Human / microbiology*
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Milk, Human / virology*
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New South Wales / epidemiology
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Parasitic Diseases / epidemiology
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Parasitic Diseases / transmission
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Pregnancy
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Primary Prevention
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Risk Factors
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Virus Diseases / epidemiology
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Virus Diseases / transmission