A new Australian study published in Nature has revealed that babies treated with antibiotics in their first few weeks of life may experience a weakened immune response to vaccines. The research suggests that reduced levels of Bifidobacterium, a key bacteria in the gut, may be responsible for this impairment.
The study followed 191 healthy infants from birth to 15 months. Babies who were treated with neonatal antibiotics showed lower antibody levels against the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) compared to those not exposed to antibiotics. This vaccine helps protect against Streptococcus pneumoniae, a bacteria responsible for serious infections such as pneumonia and meningitis.
The infants were grouped based on their exposure to antibiotics: some had no exposure, others were exposed through maternal antibiotics, and a third group received antibiotics during neonatal care. Stool and blood samples were collected at various stages to monitor changes in the gut microbiome and immune responses.
The study found that direct exposure to neonatal antibiotics led to a significant reduction in Bifidobacterium levels, which in turn weakened the immune system’s ability to produce antibodies against the vaccine. In contrast, probiotic supplements like Infloran, which replenish Bifidobacterium, showed promise in restoring the immune response in both infants and experiments with germ-free mice.
The researchers suggest that replenishing Bifidobacterium in the gut microbiome of antibiotic-exposed infants before vaccination could enhance their immune responses and improve protection against infectious diseases.
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