No evidence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in breast milk of 18 women with confirmed TB disease in Kisumu, Kenya

Parental factors that impact the ecology of human mammary development, milk secretion, and milk composition—a report from “Breastmilk Ecology: Genesis of Infant Nutrition (BEGIN)” Working Group 1

“…In 2004, Robert Lawrence and Ruth Lawrence described the state-of-the-art data on infections and breastfeeding and concluded that “breastfeeding is contraindicated rarely during maternal infection [ 118 ]. The few exceptions are specific organisms with clear evidence of transmission through breast milk that cause significant morbidity and mortality because of infection through breast milk” [ 119 ]. Although infants are subject to infection with many types of bacteria, the only ones where evidence indicates transmission through breastmilk are Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTC) and certain Streptococci.…”

“…However, transmission of both could actually be through lesions on the breast. No MTC was found in the breastmilk of 18 women diagnosed with tuberculosis in Kenya [ 119 ]. Group B streptococcal infection is common in sub-Saharan Africa, and there is some evidence for the presence of the bacteria in breastmilk [ 120 , 121 ]; however, it is not clear that this is the major mode of transmission.…”