Lactoferrin, lysozyme and immunoglobulins were measured in feces from breast-fed and bottle-fed neonates immediately after birth until 40 days of age. The average concentrations of lactoferrin in breast-fed and bottle-fed neonates were, respectively, 6.5mg/g and trace at birth to 10 days, 3.7mg/g and trace at 11-20 days, 2.1 and 0.1mg/g at 21-30 days and 1.3 and 0.2mg/g at 31-40 days. Fecal lysozyme activities in neonates nursed by breast- and bottle-feeding were, respectively, 213.9 and 95.9μg/g at birth to 10 days, 135.0 and 33.0μ9/g at 11-20 days, 114.7 and 52.5μg/g at 21-30 days, and 97.4 and 43.4μg/g at 31-40 days. In breast-fed neonates, concentrations of IgA, IgG and IgM were, respectively, 2.6, 0.3 and 0.9mg/g at birth to 10 days, 2.0, 0.4 and 0.7mg/g at 11-20 days, 1.6, 0.2 and 0.5mg/g at 21-30 days and 0.9, 0.3 and 0.5mg/g at 31-40 days. The corresponding figures in bottle-fed neonates were trace, 0.1mg/g and trace at birth to 10 days, <0.1, 0.1 and 0.1mg/g at 11-20 days, 0.2, 0.1 and 0.4mg/g at 21-30 days and 0.3, 0.1 and 0.5mg/g at 31-40 days. These results suggest that endogenous lactoferrin in neonates may be produced at approximately 20 days after birth.
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