Maternal vaccination: shaping the neonatal response to pertussis

Antepartum maternal vaccination can protect highly sensitive newborns before they are old enough to receive their own vaccines. Two vaccines currently recommended during pregnancy: the flu vaccine and Tdap against tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis. Although there is strong evidence that works offspring, limitations in understanding of transfer immunity compound obscure our how work. Here we focus on example pertussis explore possible mechanisms involved protection offspring these may impact newborn’s response future exposure For example, induce pathogen specific antibodies, those antibodies known be transferred from mother fetus utero newborn via milk. But alone have modest disease, even less effect colonization/transmission. Maternal immune cells also play a direct role disease and/or influence developing neonatal system. However, some blunt offspring’s subsequent vaccination. In this review will summarize conferred by likely which transferred, identifying many knowledge gaps limit most effective application approach.