Evaluation for SARS-CoV-2 in Breast Milk From 18 Infected Women

[Mary Wilson]

August 19, 2020

Christina Chambers, PhD, MPH[SUP]1[/SUP]; Paul Krogstad, MD[SUP]2[/SUP]; Kerri Bertrand, MPH[SUP]1[/SUP]; et al

JAMA. Published online August 19, 2020. doi:10.1001/jama.2020.15580

Concern has been raised that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) may be transmitted to infants by breastfeeding. A number of organizations advise that women infected with SARS-CoV-2 may choose to breastfeed with protections to prevent transmission of the virus through respiratory droplets. Of 24 case reports on breast milk samples from women infected with SARS-CoV-2, viral RNA was detected in 10 samples from 4 women.1-6 In some cases, environmental contamination or retrograde flow from an infected infant could not be ruled out. Detection of viral RNA by reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) does not equate with infectivity. To date, SARS-CoV-2 has not been isolated from breast milk, and there are no documented cases of transmission of infectious virus to the infant through breast milk. However, potential for viral transmission through breast milk remains a critical question for women infected with SARS-CoV-2 who wish to breastfeed.

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/ja...ign=ftm_links&utm_content=tfl&utm_term=081920

 

[JJackson]

However, potential for viral transmission through breast milk remains a critical question for women infected with SARS-CoV-2 who wish to breastfeed.

There are a lot of questions like this one that need an answer.
One reason is SARS-CoV-2 is currently rated to BSL3 or above. This is a problem as they are very busy already and working on anything in BSL3 or 4 takes a long time in that level of PPE. I think it needs to be downgraded to BSL2 on some form of Emergency use Authorization with additional over-site to check facilities and staff are capable. BSL3 seems overkill when a worker in one of these labs is more likely to catch it at home than at work. This would let plaque assays, and similar, be done in BSL2 with the same level of PPE as an MD in a SARS ICU which frees up BSL3+ for the work that needs containing.
And the lactating mothers would find out if there is infectious virus in their milk which is especially important as the first feeds contain a lot apart from milk.