The local and systemic antibody response after oral administration of a nonenteropathogenic type 1 fimbriated Escherichia coli O83 strain was followed in nine breast-fed and eight formula-fed infants during their first 15 wk of life. Five breast-fed and six formula-fed infants were followed as controls. E. coli O83 was detected in the stools of colonized infants from d 2 after colonization and persisted in the intestine for up to 26 wk. The percentage of children successfully colonized with E. coli O83 was higher among breast-fed than among formula-fed colonized infants. Also, the O83 bacteria isolated from the breast-fed children had a higher capacity to attach to colonic epithelial cells of the HT-29 cell line than those isolated from bottle-fed infants. E. coli O83 IgA and IgM antibodies estimated by ELISA were significantly elevated in the saliva of colonized as compared with control infants 2-7 wk after colonization. IgA antibodies against O83 were also higher in the stool of colonized formula-fed infants than in formula-fed controls. The results suggest that the mucosal immune system of the newborn infant can be triggered early to produce specific antibodies against bacteria colonizing the intestine.

Institute for Care of Mother and Child Czechoslovak Academy of Science Prague

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