Maternal infections influence infection susceptibility in childhood.
The proposed hypothesis suggests that the types of infections commonly experienced in pregnancy and in childhood are linked. The suggestion is made that maternal infections leave an impression on the developing fetal immune system and modulate future responsiveness to infection and/or vaccination challenge. A number of factors are explored which may influence this process, namely immunoregulation in pregnancy and infection type, gestation, maturity of the fetal immune system, and parity.
Laboratory Science Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka.
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Rasheed
D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000276:immunology; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007112:Immunity, Maternally-Acquired; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange / Q000276:immunology*; D008954:Models, Biological; D010298:Parity; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000276:immunology*; D014611:Vaccination