MATERNALLY ACQUIRED-IMMUNITY IN NEWBORNS FROM WOMEN INFECTED BY THE HUMAN-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-VIRUS

Maternally acquired immunity was studied in 16 pairs of human immunode ficiency virus (HIV)-seropositive women and their newborns, and was co mpared to 18 control mother-newborn pairs. The HIV-infected women had higher IgG levels than the control subjects, but no difference was obs erved between newborn samples, presumably due to the limited placental IgG transfer in the HIV group. A poor type 2 poliovirus antibody tran sfer was also noted in this group. The population of newborns lacking demonstrable measles antibodies was higher in the HIV group than in th e control group, probably because many of the HIV-infected mothers lac ked measles antibodies also. These results show that maternally acquir ed immunity may be affected to newborns from HIV-infected women, eithe r because of low maternal serum antibody levels or deficient transplac ental transfer. If so, the measles vaccine schedule should be revised for these children and the same should be done for future passive immu nization regarding fetus protection in pregnant HIV-seropositive women .