Profiling the dynamics of maternally acquired and infection-induced antibodies against influenza B in early childhood: a longitudinal paired mother–infant cohort study from southern China
The Lancet Microbe·
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.lanmic.2026.101490
- PMID
- 42636844
- PMCID
- —
- OpenAlex
- —
- Study type
- Cohort study
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Article type
- journal-article
- Integrity
- current
Why this research matters now
The authors identify maternal vaccination and timely childhood immunisation as potentially relevant to reducing the early-life period of limited influenza B antibody protection. This is an interpretation reported by the study and does not establish intervention effectiveness.
Structured evidence summary
Research question
The study examined transfer and loss of maternally acquired influenza B antibodies and the development, kinetics, and cross-reactivity of infection-induced antibodies from birth through early childhood.
Study design
Prospective longitudinal paired mother-infant cohort study. Maternal and cord blood were collected at delivery, followed by repeated serum sampling from children through 5-8 years; antibody titres were measured using haemagglutination inhibition assays.
Population and setting
The cohort was recruited in China between September 2013 and October 2015. The reported analysis included 531 mothers and 534 neonates selected from 1054 mothers and 1066 infants enrolled at the study sites.
Main findings
Maternal influenza B antibodies were transferred efficiently, with mean transfer ratios of 0.9-1.0, and neonatal titres were strongly associated with maternal titres. The authors report that maternally derived immunity was temporary and that infection-induced influenza B antibody responses in early childhood had limited immunogenicity.
Public-health relevance
The authors identify maternal vaccination and timely childhood immunisation as potentially relevant to reducing the early-life period of limited influenza B antibody protection. This is an interpretation reported by the study and does not establish intervention effectiveness.
Important limitations
The evidence comes from a single cohort in southern China, and the analysed participants were a stratified random sample of the enrolled population; the abstract does not establish how representative they are of other populations. This summary is limited to the supplied single-article abstract and metadata and requires the original paper for decision-grade interpretation.
GIDS interpretation
The article is discoverable under influenza, China, and vaccination classifications and provides context on early-childhood influenza B antibody dynamics. The supplied article does not provide evidence that any live surveillance signal is confirmed.
Related GIDS surveillance
Literature context does not validate, explain, or change a surveillance signal. Exact and contextual relationships are shown separately.
Evidence relationships
This article has 7 auditable classifier relationships to diseases, places, topics, and study design.