New research shows that breast milk can prevent infection for a lifetime

A new study in mice by an international team of scientists led by the University of Birmingham in the UK found that breast milk can prevent infection and the effect lasts a lifetime A new study on mice published in the journal Science Advanced recently found that the transfer of immune protection may be long-term, beyond the time of breastfeeding They also found that this protection is driven by the transfer of immune cells, completely independent of antibodies The study found that mothers of mice infected with the worm before pregnancy breastfed their pups for a lifetime of immune protection against the virus Surprisingly, the effect is delivered to babies through cells in breast milk rather than proteins such as antibodies These metastatic cells provide protection from worm infection throughout the body to infants The study shows that mothers can provide long-term breastfeeding with immune protection against infection, even if they are exposed to a globally prevalent source of infection before pregnancy