TY - JOUR T1 - Excretion of SARS-CoV-2 in breast milk: a single-centre observational study JF - BMJ Paediatrics Open JO - BMJ Paediatrics Open DO - 10.1136/bmjpo-2021-001087 VL - 5 IS - 1 SP - e001087 AU - Arun Prasad AU - Yankappa N AU - Pradeep Kumar AU - Bhavesh Kant Chaudhary AU - Binod Kumar Pati AU - Monika Anant AU - Lokesh Kumar Tiwari Y1 - 2021/06/01 UR - http://bmjpaedsopen.bmj.com/content/5/1/e001087.abstract N2 - Background Breast feeding by SARS-CoV-2-infected mothers has been a concern because of the possibility of excretion of virus in breast milk.Objective To detect SARS-CoV-2 in expressed breast milk (EBM) of mothers infected with SARS-CoV-2 and clinical outcome of neonates delivered and breast fed by them.Design A single-centre, prospective observational study involving 50 SARS-CoV-2-infected mothers and their 51 neonates.Setting A tertiary care hospital in Eastern India.Participants SARS-CoV-2-infected mothers and neonates delivered by them.Main outcome measures We investigated the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in the breast milk of mothers, who tested positive for this virus in their nasopharyngeal swab (NPS). Clinical outcome was assessed in neonates breast fed by these mothers after 1 month of the postnatal period.Results 50 SARS-CoV-2-positive expectant mothers were enrolled for the study. One out of 51 neonates, who delivered through lower segment caesarean section at term gestation and tested SARS-CoV-2 negative, died due to severe birth asphyxia. One sample of EBM was collected from each of the 49 mothers within 4 days of delivery. All EBM samples tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 through real-time reverse transcriptase-PCR (RT-PCR). All the newborns were screened twice for presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in their NPS, by RT-PCR. 2 of 51 neonates had COVID-19 infection after 24 hours of life. Caregivers of 37 of 50 alive neonates responded to follow-up via telephone. Except for minor feed intolerance in one (1 of 37) neonate, all neonates were reported well after 1 month of their age.Conclusion All the samples of breast milk were negative for SARS-CoV-2. Most of the neonates remained asymptomatic on breast feeding, whose mothers had SARS-CoV-2 infection before delivery.Data are available upon reasonable request. All data relevant to the study are included in the article or uploaded as supplemental information. Data are available on reasonable request. All relevant data are available on reasonable request by emailing the corresponding author. ER -