Lower Transplacental Antibody Transport for Measles, Mumps, Rubella and Varicella Zoster in Very Preterm Infants

Abstract

BackgroundMaternal antibodies, transported over the placenta during pregnancy, contribute to the protection of infants from infectious diseases during the first months of life. In term infants, this protection does not last until the first recommended measles-mumps-rubella vaccination at 14 months in the Netherlands, while these viruses still circulate. The aim of the study was to investigate the antibody concentration against measles, mumps, rubella and varicella (MMRV) in mothers and preterm infants or healthy term infants at birth.MethodsAntibody concentrations specific for MMRV were measured in cord blood samples from preterm (gestational age <32 weeks and/or birth weight <1500 g) and term infants, and matched maternal serum samples, using a fluorescent bead-based multiplex immune-assay.ResultsDue to lower placental transfer ratios of antibodies against MMRV in 96 preterm infants (range 0.75–0.87) compared to 42 term infants (range 1.39–1.65), the preterm infants showed 1.7–2.5 times lower geometric mean concentrations at birth compared to term infants. Maternal antibody concentration is the most important determinant of infant antibody concentration against MMRV.ConclusionsPreterm infants benefit to a lesser extent from maternal antibodies against measles, mumps, rubella and varicella than term infants, posing them even earlier at risk for infectious diseases caused by these still circulating viruses.

Prevalence of anti-rubella, anti-measles and anti-mumps IgG antibodies in neonates and pregnant women in Catalonia (Spain) in 2013: susceptibility to measles increased from 2003 to 2013

“…The prevalence of protective anti-measles IgG titres found in this study in neonates (90 %) was similar to the prevalence found in neonates in Switzerland (91 %) [45] and it was higher than the prevalence found in the United Kingdom (80 %) [24], the Netherlands (83 %) [46] and Israel (50-81 %) [21,24]. The prevalence of protective antimumps IgG titres found in this study in neonates (84 %) was similar to the prevalence found in neonates in the Netherlands (83 %) [46] and it was higher than the prevalence found in Switzerland (62 %) [45].…”

“…The prevalence of protective anti-rubella IgG titres found in this study in neonates (96 %) was higher than the prevalence found in neonates in Switzerland (91 %) [45] and the United Kingdom (92 %) [46]. The prevalence of protective anti-measles IgG titres found in this study in neonates (90 %) was similar to the prevalence found in neonates in Switzerland (91 %) [45] and it was higher than the prevalence found in the United Kingdom (80 %) [24], the Netherlands (83 %) [46] and Israel (50-81 %) [21,24].…”

Vertically Transferred Immunity in Neonates: Mothers, Mechanisms and Mediators

“…Prospective observational study (59) Duration of presence of matAB to measles in infants Prospective study (60) (Continued) for infants < 6 months and of 69% for infants younger than 3 months of age; the overall VE against hospitalization due to severe pertussis infection was 94%. These results clearly demonstrate that maternal Tdap vaccination is predominantly effective in preventing severe cases of pertussis disease, with maternal vaccination attenuating the intensity of the illness rather than preventing it.…”

Nutritional and immunological factors in breast milk: A role in the intergenerational transmission from maternal psychopathology to child development

“…IgM, IgG, secretory IgG and especially secretory IgA (sIgA) (Palmeira and Carneiro-Sampaio, 2016;Prentice et al, 1987). During pregnancy, the mother transmits her antibodies to the foetus through the placenta; then, in the postnatal period, the newborn receives these antibodies from breast milk, establishing a defense mechanism for the first months of life (Berg et al, 2014;Hanson and Söderström, 1981).…”