title: Newborns develop a Th1-type immune response to Mycobacterium bovis bacillus Calmette-Guérin vaccination.
abstract: Data obtained in animals indicate that neonatal immune responses are biased toward Th2. This could reduce the efficacy of vaccines against viral and mycobacterial diseases. The ability of human newborns to develop a Th1 immune response upon immunization has not been studied. Since the vaccine Mycobacterium bovis bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) triggers a Th1-type response in adults, we investigated whether it induces a similar response in newborns and whether age at vaccination influences immunogenicity. We found that BCG vaccination at birth induces a memory Th1-type response of similar magnitude to that when given later in life. This study demonstrates that human newborns can be immunized against pathogens controlled by a Th1 immune response.
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Council Laboratories, Fajara, The Gambia. amarchant@mrc.gm
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marchant
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Goetghebuer
authors.forename: M O
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Ota
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Wolfe
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Ceesay
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: De Groote
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Corrah
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bennett
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wheeler
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Huygen
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Aaby
authors.forename: K P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: McAdam
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Newport
mesh_terms: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D001500:BCG Vaccine / Q000276:immunology*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D009163:Mycobacterium bovis / Q000276:immunology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001500:BCG Vaccine; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; C117940:CFP-10 protein, Mycobacterium tuberculosis; D016207:Cytokines; D000939:Epitopes; C065036:antigen 85, Mycobacterium bovis