How sugar in breast milk could protect children from infections

A SUGAR found in the breast milk of some women may protect babies from potentially life-threatening infection, scientists have discovered.

Up to one in three women carry Group B streptococcus bacteria that are a common cause of deadly meningitis in newborn infants.

But a naturally occurring sugar in breast milk may help prevent Group B streptococcus infection, new research has found.

Human milk contains a mixture of sugars, called oligosaccarides, which act as food for “friendly” bacteria in a baby’s gut.

What kind of sugars a mother has in her breast milk is partly determined by her genes. The new study of 183 African women in The Gambia found that some had an especially protective sugar called lacto-n-difucohexaose I.

Babies of women with the sugar in their milk were more likely to have cleared Group B streptococcus bacteria from their bodies 60-89 days after birth.

Around half of all women in the world are thought to produce lacto-N-difucohexaose I.

Lead researcher Dr Nicholas Andreas, from Imperial College London, said: “Although this is early-stage research it demonstrates the complexity of breast milk, and the benefits it may have for the baby. Increasingly, research is suggesting these breast milk sugars (human milk oligosaccharides) may protect against infections in the newborn, such as rotavirus and Group B streptococcus, as well as boosting a child’s ‘friendly’ gut bacteria.”

The findings raise the possibility of offering specific breast milk sugar supplements to pregnant and breast-feeding women who lack protective sugars, say the scientists.