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[Antibodies to Streptococcus pneumoniae antigens in newborn infants]
Insights
Maternal antibodies to pneumococci transfer to newborns, offering protection. Breast milk, particularly IgA, provides further defense against pneumococcal infections in infants.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Neonatal Health
- Microbiology
Background:
- Pneumococcal infections pose a significant threat to infants.
- Understanding passive immunity transfer is crucial for infant health.
- Maternal antibodies play a key role in neonatal protection.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify antibody levels against pneumococcal antigens in newborns and mothers.
- To investigate the transplacental transfer of antipneumococcal antibodies.
- To assess the presence of antipneumococcal antibodies in breast milk.
Main Methods:
- Enzyme immunoassay (EIA) was used to measure antibody levels.
- Blood sera from 38 newborns and their mothers were analyzed.
- Colostrum and milk samples from 48 nursing mothers were also studied.
Main Results:
- Transplacental transfer of antipneumococcal antibodies from mother to fetus was confirmed.
- Newborn antibody levels were generally lower than maternal levels but higher than in older infants.
- Significant levels of IgA antibodies to pneumococci were found in breast milk.
Conclusions:
- Passive immunity via transplacental transfer provides early protection to newborns against pneumococcal disease.
- Maternal IgA antibodies in breast milk may offer an additional protective mechanism for infants.
- These findings highlight the importance of maternal antibody status for infant pneumococcal immunity.
Abstract:
The levels of antibodies to capsular polysaccharide antigens of pneumococci (serotypes 1, 3, 6B, 8, 9N, 15F, 23F), C-polysaccharide and protein antigen of pneumococci in the blood sera of 38 newborn infants at the moment of their birth (umbilical blood) and on the 5th or 6th day of their life, in their mothers' blood sera, as well as in the colostrum and milk of 48 nursing women, have been studied by means of the enzyme immunoassay. The study showed that in the normal course of pregnancy antibodies to pneumococci were transferred transplacentally from the mother to the fetus. Though in most cases their content in the blood of newborn infants was lower than that in maternal blood, it exceeded the average level of antipneumococcal antibodies in children aged 3-12 months. In the milk of nursing mothers considerable amount of IgA antibodies to pneumococci was detected, which might be an additional protective factor with respect to pneumococcal infection in infants.