<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<sec><h3>Introduction</h3>
<p>Human milk, which constitutes the best composed nutrition for infants, is not a sterile biofluid. Besides nutritional and bioactive components, many microorganisms have been found in human milk, including <italic>Bacillus cereus</italic>. Those pathogenic bacteria can be responsible for causing pneumonia or septicemia in neonates. Although <italic>Bacillus cereus</italic> infections are not common, they represent one of the increasing factors of a high mortality rate in the preterm infants group. Donor human milk (DHM) may be a significant source of this pathogen.</p>
</sec>
<sec><h3>Materials and Methods</h3>
<p>Given the high ability of <italic>Bacillus cereus</italic> spores to survive under different thermal conditions, we tested the effect of the holder pasteurization and storage points (4 °C and −21 °C) on sporulation and vegetative forms’ survival in inoculated human milk samples by culture method and light microscopy.</p>
</sec>
<sec><h3>Results</h3>
<p>Studies confirmed that holder pasteurization is effective against vegetative forms of <italic>Bacillus cereus</italic>. Additionally, during storage endospores were observed in all analyzed inoculated donor milk samples, both the pasteurized and unpasteurized samples, thus possibly promoting the occurrence of <italic>Bacillus cereus</italic> in DHM.</p>
</sec>
<sec><h3>Conclusions</h3>
<p><italic>Bacillus cereus</italic> is considered a contamination in DHM and in the human milk banks’ (HMB) environment. There is a need to further develop methods of identifying, transmitting, and preventing bacteria forming spores, which could be applied in HMB.</p>
</sec>
</abstract>

Introduction
Human milk, which constitutes the best composed nutrition for infants, is not a sterile biofluid. Besides nutritional and bioactive components, many microorganisms have been found in human milk, including Bacillus cereus. Those pathogenic bacteria can be responsible for causing pneumonia or septicemia in neonates. Although Bacillus cereus infections are not common, they represent one of the increasing factors of a high mortality rate in the preterm infants group. Donor human milk (DHM) may be a significant source of this pathogen.

Materials and Methods
Given the high ability of Bacillus cereus spores to survive under different thermal conditions, we tested the effect of the holder pasteurization and storage points (4 °C and −21 °C) on sporulation and vegetative forms’ survival in inoculated human milk samples by culture method and light microscopy.

Results
Studies confirmed that holder pasteurization is effective against vegetative forms of Bacillus cereus. Additionally, during storage endospores were observed in all analyzed inoculated donor milk samples, both the pasteurized and unpasteurized samples, thus possibly promoting the occurrence of Bacillus cereus in DHM.

Conclusions
Bacillus cereus is considered a contamination in DHM and in the human milk banks’ (HMB) environment. There is a need to further develop methods of identifying, transmitting, and preventing bacteria forming spores, which could be applied in HMB.

Effect of holder pasteurization and storage of donor human milk on <italic>Bacillus cereus</italic> survival

Laboratory of Human Milk and Lactation Research at Regional Human Milk Bank in Holy Family Hospital

Postępy Higieny i Medycyny Doświadczalnej

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Effect of holder pasteurization and storage of donor human milk on  survival

Introduction
Human milk, which constitutes the best composed nutrition for infants, is not a sterile biofluid. Besides nutritional and bioactive components,...

Effect of holder pasteurization and storage of donor human milk on Bacillus cereus survival

Article Category: Original Study

Publié en ligne: 14 mars 2024

Pages: 13 - 21

Reçu: 18 juil. 2023

Accepté: 20 déc. 2023

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/ahem-2023-0027

Mots clés
donor human milk, human milk banks, Bacillus cereus, premature infants

© 2024 Kamila Strom et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Effect of holder pasteurization and storage of donor human milk on Bacillus cereus survival

Article Category: Original Study

Publié en ligne: 14 mars 2024

Pages: 13 - 21

Reçu: 18 juil. 2023

Accepté: 20 déc. 2023

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/ahem-2023-0027

Mots clésdonor human milk, human milk banks, Bacillus cereus, premature infants

© 2024 Kamila Strom et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Mots clés
donor human milk, human milk banks, Bacillus cereus, premature infants