Salivary Lactoferrin in Neonates with Chorioamnionitis

Lactoferrin, an iron-binding glycoprotein, has been found to have various biological functions in various tissues. Although, many studies have been reported on salivary lactoferrin in adults and children, little is known regarding lactoferrin in salivary fluid of neonates, especially under conditions of chorioamnionitis (CAM) . Salivary lactoferrin concentrations in neonates gradually increased as the days advanced and when breast feeding started, the levels elevated significantly. Salivary lactoferrin levels in neonates measured on the day of delivery in the group delivered with chorioamnionitis were 3.4±0.5 μg/ml and were significantly higher (p<0.05) than those without chorioamnionitis (0.8 ±0.3 p g/ml) . The changes in the lactoferrin concentra-tions of salivary fluids in neonates were demonstrated. Furthermore, the elevation of salivary lactoferrin concentrations in neonates in response to the amniotic infection suggested the novel function as a host defense against infections.