Natural maternal immunity protects neonates from Escherichia coli sepsis - PubMed
a day ago
- #neonatal sepsis
- #Escherichia coli
- #maternal immunity
- Escherichia coli (E. coli) is a leading cause of neonatal sepsis, occurring in about 1 in 1,000 live births.
- Newborns with E. coli sepsis have reduced vertically transferred natural antibodies targeting E. coli, explaining their susceptibility.
- Preclinical studies show that preconceptual colonization with probiotic E. coli Nissle 1917 (EcN) primes anti-E. coli IgG antibodies, protecting neonatal mice.
- Outer membrane protein A (OmpA) is a key target of maternal IgG and essential for EcN-induced immunogenicity.
- Vertically transferred anti-E. coli IgG protects neonates via opsonization, requiring both complement and IgG Fc receptors.
- Dried blood spot tests from 100 babies with E. coli sepsis showed reduced IgG titers to E. coli and OmpA, along with impaired opsonization.
- Defects in vertically transferred immunity are a primary risk factor for severe neonatal infections.