Neonatal cow milk sensitization in 143 case-reports: role of early exposure to cow’s milk formula

A. Cantani, M. Micera

Department of Pediatrics, Allergy and Clinical Immunology Division, “La Sapienza” University, Rome (Italy)

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• Immunology

Objective: Cow’s milk (CM) allergy (CMA) is a disease of infancy, usually appearing in the first months of life. Symptoms triggered by CM at first introduction are not completely defined. The evaluation of infants for possible CMA is one of the more common problems encountered by pediatricians. Purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of severe reaction to CM and clinical manifestation triggered by CM administration in the nurseries.

Materials and Methods: The series includes 143 prospectively studied CM-allergic babies.

Results: At the first introduction of CM, at the age of 1-8 months (median 4 months) all infants had immediate symptoms The babies were probably sensitized during the first days of life. Particularly sensitizing appears to be the exposure to CM formulas in the neonatal nursery.

Discussion: Little doses of allergens are more sensitizing than larger ones. We provide clear evidence of the immunological effects of oral antigen administration during the neonatal period, and discuss the possible critical allergen transmission to the nursing baby via breast milk (BM).

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