AUTHOR=Murano Yayoi , Yamahira Shinya , Shoji Hiromichi , Hisata Ken , Koshizaka Takuya , Nakazawa Tomoyuki , Shimizu Toshiaki , Rahman Mahbubur TITLE=Evaluation of the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 through breast milk: a case series JOURNAL=Frontiers in Pediatrics VOLUME=11 YEAR=2023 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pediatrics/articles/10.3389/fped.2023.1160790 DOI=10.3389/fped.2023.1160790 ISSN=2296-2360 ABSTRACT=

Whether severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is transmitted through breast milk remains controversial. This study aimed to determine the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in breast milk and assess its transmissibility to the child in infancy. Eleven samples were obtained from nine mothers with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). All but one sample had negative results on a reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Among nine children, five were diagnosed with COVID-19, including one child whose mother's milk tested positive. Although SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in breast milk, its possible transmission via breastfeeding could not be established. Thus, we conclude that the physical attachment between mother and child is a conceivable transmission route.