vCJV ("Mad Cow") and mother's milk

[Ingrid Andersson]

I founded a facilitated community milk sharing project mothersmilkalliance.org and have been accepting milk since 2007 from European nationals living locally. European milk banks have not reported transmission so I have not worried about this. However, HMBANA milk banks don't accept milk from donors who have been in Europe within the past 8 years, I believe. Pasteurization does not eliminate prions.

I'm wondering if you would reject donor milk from healthy women who lived in Europe? Is there any way to test donor blood or milk?

Thanks!

[admin]

Dear Ingrid,

I discussed your question with Dr. Hale, and we are actually not sure if the infection can be transmitted through breastmilk. He says there is no way to test the donor milk.

Call us at the InfantRisk Center on 806-352-2519, if you have further questions.

Tassneem Abdel Karim, MD
InfantRisk Center