Immunological ‘blunting’ by maternal antibodies has no effect on infant pertussis risk: Aussie study
The findings confirm that maternal vaccination protects infants when they are most vulnerable, says Professor Robert Booy.
Pertussis vaccination during pregnancy reduces the risk of infection in infants by 65%, with no evidence that the ‘blunting’ effects of maternal antibodies compromise infant immunity, Australian doctors say.
Vaccine effectiveness data from 280,000 mother–infant pairs also show that maternal diphtheria, tetanus and acellular pertussis (DTaP) vaccination protects against disease for eight months, which is two months longer than previously reported.
