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  • Title: Immune status of low birth weight babies.
    Author: Singh M, Manerikar S, Malaviya AN, Premawathi, Gopalan R, Kumar R.
    Journal: Indian Pediatr; 1978 Jul; 15(7):563-7. PubMed ID: 569131.
    Abstract:
    An attempt was made to evaluate the humoral and cellular immune status of preterm and small for dates babies born at All India Institute of Medical Sciences Hospital. The study sample included 24 term small-for-dates babies and 12 preterm babies (gestation of less than 37 weeks) and 20 term appropriate-for-dates babies who served as controls. The small-for-dates babies were subdivided into the following 2 subgroups on the basis of severity of intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR): mild IUGR -- babies weighing between 3rd and 10th percentile for their gestation; and severe IUGR -- babies weighing less than 2 S.D. or 3rd percentile for their gestation. The levels of immunoglobulin G (IgG), M (IgM), and A (IgA) were determined in the cord blood using the single radical diffusion technique. The B-lymphocytes were identified and counted by the surface membrane immunoglobulin (SmIg) using immunofluorescence technique. The cellular immune response was assessed by counting T-lymphocytes by E-rosette technique employing sheep red blood cells. The neonates with severe IUGR and preterm babies had significantly lower levels of IgG. The levels of IgM and IgA did not differ significantly in the 4 groups. The preterm babies had significantly higher percentage of B-lymphocytes though the absolute count was not significantly different from normal newborn babies. The absolute count B cells was significantly low in babies with severe IUGR. The babies with severe IUGR had significantly low absolute and percentage count of E-rosette forming cells as compared to normal newborn babies. The findings suggest that low birth weight babies with severe IUGR are at a greater risk to develop bacterial infection due to deficiency of both humoral and cellular immune host defenses. In contrast, preterm babies are immunologically competent though passively transferred maternal IgG levels are low. It is desirable to study the duration of immunodeficiency caused by severe IUGR and its reversibility on nutritional rehabilitation. In view of the wide prevalence of IUGR in India it is possible that inadequacy of cell mediated immune response in these infants may be associated with poor "takes" following at birth BCG and small pox vaccinations. The vaccination schedule may have to be modified depending upon the duration of immunodeficiency in babies with IUGR.
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