Evaluation of Ochratoxins in Lactating Mothers and its Transfer to Their Exclusively Breast-Fed Infants through Breast milk

Abstract

Background: Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a well-known widely-spread mycotoxin all over the world that constitutes a real human threat. Its presence in human milk has previously been reported in different countries.

Objective: This study aimed to detect the presence of OTA in both mothers’ milk, sera, and infants’ sera and compare the results with a previous study done in Egypt.

Patients and Methods: Forty-eight healthy breast-lactating mothers and their infants who were exclusively breast-fed for at least 4 months were included. All of them were subjected to a thorough laboratory evaluation including determination of OTA concentration by (ELISA) Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay.

Results: Fifteen mothers (31.3%) and their infants had been contaminated with OTA. The analysis showed that all infants of affected mothers had OTA in their sera.

Conclusion: Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that there was a significant correlation between OTA levels in mothers’ sera, milk, and their infants’ sera.