Suche
Mein Konto
Birth method related to the baby's immune response to important childhood vaccines
The method by which a baby is born is linked to how its immune system responds to two important childhood vaccines, research suggests. Naturally born babies have been found to have higher levels of antibodies than those born by cesarean section after receiving their vaccinations, which protect against bacteria that cause lung infections and meningitis. Experts say the findings could help inform conversations about C-sections between expectant mothers and their doctors and shape the design of tailored vaccination programs. Researchers examined the relationship between gut microbes and antibody levels after vaccination in a cohort of 120 babies,...
Birth method related to the baby's immune response to important childhood vaccines
The method by which a baby is born is linked to how its immune system responds to two important childhood vaccines, research suggests.
Naturally born babies have been found to have higher levels of antibodies than those born by cesarean section after receiving their vaccinations, which protect against bacteria that cause lung infections and meningitis.
Experts say the findings could help inform conversations about C-sections between expectant mothers and their doctors and shape the design of tailored vaccination programs.
Researchers examined the relationship between gut microbes and antibody levels after vaccination in a cohort of 120 babies vaccinated against lung infections and meningitis at 8 and 12 weeks.
The researchers tracked the development of the gut microbiome - the community of microbes that live in our bodies - in the child's first year of life and his immune response to the vaccines by testing saliva samples at 12 and 18 months of age.
The research was carried out by a team from the University of Edinburgh, Spaarne Hospital and University Medical Center in Utrecht and the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment in the Netherlands.
In the 101 babies tested for antibodies as a result of the vaccine, which protects against lung infections, researchers found twice as high antibody levels in babies born naturally compared to those delivered by cesarean section.
Breastfeeding was associated with 3.5 times higher antibody levels than in naturally delivered infants fed formula.
Antibody levels were tested in 66 babies as a result of the vaccine, which protects against meningitis. Experts found that antibody levels in naturally delivered babies were 1.7 times higher than those delivered by cesarean section, regardless of breastfeeding.
The gut microbiome is seeded at birth, develops rapidly in the first months of life and is mainly influenced by the mode of delivery, breastfeeding and antibiotic use.
E-Book Antibodies
Compilation of the top interviews, articles and news from the last year. Download a free copy
The team found a clear connection between microbes in these babies' guts and antibody levels.
For example, among a variety of bacteria in the gut, particularly high levels of two - Bifidobacterium and E. Coli - have been linked to a strong antibody response to the vaccine, which protects against lung infections.
High levels of E. coli have also been linked to a strong antibody response to the vaccine, which protects against meningitis.
The baby acquires the Bifidobacterium and E.coli bacteria through natural birth, and breast milk is needed to provide the sugars for these bacteria to thrive.
The team concludes that babies' microbiomes early in life contribute to the immune system's response to the vaccines and determine the level of protection against certain infections in childhood.
Vaccination schedules could also be adjusted in the future based on the type of birth or an analysis of the baby's microbiome, experts say.
The research was published in Nature Communications. It was funded by the Scottish Chief Scientist Office and the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research.
We expected to find a connection between the gut microbiome and babies’ vaccine responses, but we never expected to find the strongest effects in the first weeks of life.”
Dr. Emma de Koff, lead author and microbiology intern at Amsterdam University Medical Center
Professor Debby Bogaert, study leader and Chair of Pediatric Medicine at the University of Edinburgh, said: "I find it particularly interesting that we have identified several beneficial microbes that provide the link between route of administration and vaccine response. In the future we may be able to supplement these bacteria in children born shortly after birth via caesarean section, for example by “Stool transplants” from mother to baby or through the use of specially developed probiotics.
Source:
Reference:
de Koff, EM, et al. (2022) The route of administration modulates the gut microbiota and influences the response to vaccination. Nature communication. doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-34155-2.
.