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Updated: May 26, 2026
A Neonatal Imaging Model of Gram-Negative Bacterial Sepsis
Published on: August 12, 2020
Vaccination of neonates: problem and issues
Douglas C Hodgins1, Patricia E Shewen
1Department of Pathobiology, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada N1G 2W1. dhodgins@uoguelph.ca
Insights
Neonatal vaccination faces challenges due to immature immune systems and maternal antibodies. Understanding these factors is crucial for developing effective vaccines for newborns.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Veterinary Medicine
- Neonatal Health
Background:
- Neonatal vaccination is critical for preventing early-life infectious diseases but faces limited success.
- Challenges include immature neonatal immune systems and interference from maternal antibodies.
- Current research models have limitations in accurately reflecting neonatal immune responses.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review factors influencing neonatal immune responses, including maternal antibodies, corticosteroids, complement proteins, cytokines, and lymphocytes.
- To compare findings from studies in domestic animals and humans.
- To highlight the need for improved experimental models for studying neonatal immunity.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of factors affecting neonatal immune responses.
- Comparison of data from human and domestic animal studies.
- Analysis of theories explaining maternal antibody interference with vaccination.
Main Results:
- Maternal antibodies are essential for neonatal protection but can interfere with vaccine efficacy through mechanisms like epitope masking.
- Passive antibodies can have both suppressive and enhancing effects on immune responses.
- Existing experimental models often use adult surrogates, not bona fide maternal antibodies, necessitating better models.
Conclusions:
- Optimizing neonatal vaccines requires a deeper understanding of maternal antibody dynamics and neonatal immune system maturity.
- Development of improved experimental models is essential for accurate research.
- Harnessing recent immunological and technological advances can enhance neonatal vaccine efficacy.
Abstract:
Many serious infectious diseases occur early in life; efficacious vaccination of neonates has been a longstanding goal in both human and veterinary medicine. Efforts to immunize in the first weeks of life, in various species, have had limited success in general. This has been attributed to a combination of immaturity of the neonatal immune system and interference by maternal antibodies. Most studies of neonatal immune responsiveness have been carried out in neonatal mice, or by examination of cellular components of human umbilical cord blood. Both approaches have their limitations. The current review describes factors, including corticosteroids, complement proteins, cytokines, maternal lymphocytes and antibodies, which may influence immune responses of neonates, comparing data from studies of domestic animals and humans. Neonates are highly dependent on passive (maternal) antibodies for protection against a wide range of pathogens. These maternal antibodies have been noted to interfere with active immune responses to many, but not all, vaccines. Various theories have been proposed to explain this phenomenon, including epitope masking, clearance of immune complexes and FcγRII mediated regulation of B cells. Remarkably, many studies examining the effects of passive antibodies on immune responses of adults, have demonstrated immune enhancing effects. The evidence for enhancing and suppressive effects of passive antibodies on antigen uptake, processing and regulation of lymphocyte responses is reviewed. Since maternal antibodies (as present in neonates) differ in subisotypes and affinity from the passive antibodies often used in experimental systems, here is a need for better experimental models investigating the effects of bona fide maternal antibodies on immune responses of neonates (not adult surrogates). Vaccines can be optimized for use in neonates - by making better use of existing vaccine technologies and by harnessing the potential of recent immunological and technological advances.
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