Protection of newborn animals through maternal immunization

Providing protective immunity to neonatal animals in early life is associated with numerous challenges regarding vaccine safety and efficacy. A much simpler approach is maternal vaccination, either before or during pregnancy, to provide the neonate with passively transferred immunity. In humans, the medical, societal and legal risks of immunizing pregnant women are important considerations in undertaking this approach. By contrast, maternal vaccination has been successfully employed in the animal health industry for decades. These veterinary vaccines have proven to be safe and efficient. Although only passively transferred antibodies have been extensively studied, other immunological mechanisms may be equally important in providing maternally derived immunity.