TABLE 163-1.
Primary Functions of Antimicrobial Agents in Human Milk
| Agents | Primary Antimicrobial Functions |
|---|---|
| Proteins | |
| Lactoferrin | Bacteriostasis produced by Fe3+ chelation |
| Bacterial killing due to lactoferricin | |
| Lysozyme | Lyses bacterial cell walls by degrading peptidoglycans |
| Secretory IgA | Binds bacterial adherence sites, toxins, and virulence factors |
| MUCI | Inhibits the binding of S-fimbriated Escherichia coli to epithelial cells |
| Lactadhedrin | Binds rotavirus and thus prevents its contact with epithelium |
| Oligosaccharides and glycoconjugates | Receptor analogues inhibit binding of enteric/respiratory pathogens and their toxins to epithelial cells. |
| Monoglycerides and fatty acids from lipid digestion | Disrupt enveloped viruses, inactivate certain bacteria, defend against infection from Giardia lamblia and Entameoba histolytica |