title: Passive immunity of premature infants against measles during early infancy.
abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of transferred measles antibodies and seronegativity rates during early infancy in premature newborns whose mothers had infection-induced immunity. The premature group was composed of 22 and 35 newborns of gestational ages < 32 wk and > 32 wk, respectively, and the control group consisted of 28 term newborns. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used for the qualitative detection of IgG antibodies to measles virus. Mean cord blood relative values were significantly lower in both premature groups, < or = 32 wk (p < 0.0001) and > 32 wk (p < 0.001), when compared with term infants. No seronegative infant was found in the premature group at 2 mo of age. At 4 mo, the seronegativity rate was 27% for premature infants < or = 32 wk and 35% for those > 32 wk. At 6 mo, seronegativity increased to 86% and 74% for premature infants born at gestational ages < or = 32 wk and > 32 wk, respectively. Forty-six percent of the term infants became seronegative at that age. The differences between term infants and those in the two premature groups were statistically significant (p < 0.05 and p < 0.005). Premature infants, regardless of their prematurity degree, were thought to be more susceptible to measles infection than term ones at the age of 6 mo. Policies for their protection from measles infection are still to be investigated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Cerrahpaşa University Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ozbek
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vural
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tastan
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kahraman
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Perk
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ilter
mesh_terms: D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000276:immunology; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007112:Immunity, Maternally-Acquired / Q000276:immunology*; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000276:immunology*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008457:Measles / Q000276:immunology*; D008459:Measles virus / Q000276:immunology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012016:Reference Values; D012044:Regression Analysis; D018570:Risk Assessment
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral