Transmission of cytomegalovirus infection through breast milk in term and preterm infants. The role of cell free milk whey and milk cells.

We investigated the reactivation of cytomegalovirus during lactation and analysed the role of human milk whey and milk cells in mother-to-child-transmission. In contrast to term infants, preterm infants may be infected symptomatically by breastfeeding. Human milk whey is the material of choice for detection of maternal DNAlactia and virolactia, whereas milk cells not necessarily have to be infected in transmitters.