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- Title
Innate immunity of the newborn: basic mechanisms and clinical correlates.
- Authors
Levy, Ofer
- Abstract
The fetus and newborn face a complex set of immunological demands, including protection against infection, avoidance of harmful inflammatory immune responses that can lead to pre-term delivery, and balancing the transition from a sterile intra-uterine environment to a world that is rich in foreign antigens. These demands shape a distinct neonatal innate immune system that is biased against the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. This bias renders newborns at risk of infection and impairs responses to many vaccines. This Review describes innate immunity in newborns and discusses how this knowledge might be used to prevent and treat infection in this vulnerable population.
- Publication
Nature reviews. Immunology, 2007, Vol 7, Issue 5, p379
- ISSN
1474-1733
- Publication type
Journal Article
- DOI
10.1038/nri2075