Cellular immunity of naïve and BCG vaccinated neonates

• Main Author: Watkins, Marcia Linda Vivienne
• Other Authors: Kaplan, Gilla
• Format: Doctoral Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: University of Cape Town 2015
• Subjects: Medicine
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/10984

Includes abstract. === Includes bibliographical references (leaves 153-187). === Despite more than 95% vaccination coverage with Mycobacterium bovis Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG), tuberculosis (TB) remains epidemic in South Africa. The dichotomy that successful pregnancy is usually associated with a type 2 (Th2) cytokine profile in the newborn child, whereas immunity to Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) is associated with the development of a type 1 helper (Th1) cytokine response, could impact on the subsequent adaptive immune response to BCG vaccination. Previous studies have suggested that immune responses in early life may be defective and related to the immaturity of antigen-presenting cells and/or T cells.