Anti-influenza vaccination of pregnant women: is the fetus effected?

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Anti-influenza vaccination of pregnant women: is the fetus effected?

 

Binstock

Researcher in Developmental & Behavioral Neuroanatomy

June 16, 2009

Cytokines participate in neuronal development (1). Increased levels of

cytokines can adversely affect neuronal development within the CNS (eg,

2-4). Vaccinations induce increased expression of various cytokines. For

instance, anti-influenza vaccination causes transiently increased levels

of cytokines. Some cytokines expressed during pregnancy adversely affect

the fetal brain. At least one cytokine (interleukin-6; IL-6) is among

the cytokines which (a) adversely affects neuronal development and (

is induced by anti-influenza vaccinations (cites below).

Many of the studies documenting adverse neuronal-effects of elevated

cytokines have used non-humans animals as subjects. However, these

findings combine with the anti-influenza, vaccination-induced cytokines

in humans studies so as to suggest that administering influenza vaccines

to pregnant women may have adverse effects on at least some progeny.

Importantly, although the CDC and various medical organizations

recommend the " flu shot " for pregnant women, a Pubmed search found no

citations wherein anti-influenza vaccinations were tested in pregnant

humans in regard to (a) expression of cytokines, and ( long-term,

possibly delayed neurobehavioral effects in the children who were

embryos or fetuses when those mothers were vaccinated.

A dearth of such studies is revealed by a Pubmed search. On June 26,

2009, three citations (5-7) were generated by the following search strategy:

influenza AND pregnant AND (vaccine OR vaccinatio*) AND (cytokin* OR

interfero* OR interleuk* OR (necrosis AND factor))

An article written in Russian may be relevant (4), but possibly more

important is the fact that vaccinologists may have thoroughly studied

neither the influenza vaccinations of pregnant women nor the effects of

those vaccinations upon the fetus and upon CNS-related development of

the child. Is there cause for concern?

Firstly, anti-influenza vaccination induces cytokine expression in

humans. For example, elevation of interleukin-6 (IL-6) after

anti-influenza vaccination has been described (eg, 8-9). This elevation

is similar but not necessarily identical to immune responses induced by

influenza infection (eg, elevated IL-6; 10-11). Furthermore, co-factors

such as current or recent cytomegalovirus infection can alter responses

to anti-influenza vaccinations (eg, 12).

Secondly, IL-6 - which is elevated in response to anti-influenza

vaccinations - can induce adverse effects regarding neuronal development

of the fetus (13). Symptoms arising from these processes can be delayed

and appear subsequent to birth (14); and some researchers find relevance

to the etiologies of some cases of autism and schizophrenia (eg, 13-14).

Furthermore, inter-individual variation would arise because

cytokine-induced effects may depend upon in-utero timings of the

inflammatory pulse (eg, 15). A murine example with relevance to

behaviors common in autistic children was offered by Urs Meyer and

colleagues, who reported that an immune challenge on gestation day 9

suppressed spatial exploration, whereas the same challenge on day 17 led

to perseverative behaviors (15).

Thirdly, other studies document adverse effects of elevated,

influenza-related cytokines within the brain. These effects include

impaired neurogenesis (16-17), seizure susceptibility (18), and altered

patterns of stress hormones (19).

Indeed, Shi and colleagues wrote, " ...maternal viral infection has been

cited as the 'principal non-genetic cause of autism' (Ciaranello and

Ciaranello, 1995). What these various insults are likely to have in

common is a maternal antiviral response (, 2002). " (14). Thus

concern is justified: Would maternal cytokines induced by the

anti-influenza vaccination during pregnancy incline some fetuses towards

autism, other autism-spectrum disorders, or epilepsy?

Indeed, the various findings in animal experiments suggest fetal

CNS-damage induced by anti-influenza inflammation is plausible, perhaps

even likely for small subgroups of pregnant women. And given the

relationships outlined and citations offered in this brief essay, why

are no studies findable in Pubmed regarding cytokines expression in

pregnant women receiving vaccinations? More specifically, why are there

no search-findable studies whose primary purpose was examining cytokines

responses in women who experience the anti-influenza vaccination during

pregnancy? Furthermore, why are there no vaccinated versus unvaccinated

studies of children whose mothers received (or didn't receive) an

anti-influenza vaccination during pregnancy?

The CDC recommends that pregnant women receive " flu shots " (20). Does

this recommendations for pregnant women place some fetuses at risk? The

citations presented in this brief essay suggest the answer is Yes.

References:

1. Cytokines in neuronal development.

Jonakait GM. Adv Pharmacol. 1997;37:35-67.

2. The role of pro- and antiinflammatory cytokines in neurodegeneration.

Allan SM. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2000;917:84-93.

3. Cytokines and acute neurodegeneration.

Allan SM, Rothwell NJ. Nat Rev Neurosci. 2001 Oct;2(10):734-44.

4. A primer on cytokines: sources, receptors, effects, and inducers.

Curfs JH et al. Clin Microbiol Rev. 1997 Oct;10(4):742-80.

http://cmr.asm.org/cgi/reprint/10/4/742?view=long & pmid=9336671

5. Induction of leukocyte interferon in pregnant women and parturients.

Eristavi ZA et al. Akush Ginekol (Mosk). 1984 Jan;(1):38-40. {Russian}

6. Safety and immunogenicity of respiratory syncytial virus purified

fusion protein-2 vaccine in pregnant women.

Munoz FM et al. Vaccine. 2003 Jul 28;21(24):3465-7.

7. T-helper type 2 polarization among asthmatics during and following

pregnancy.

Rastogi D et al. Clin Exp Allergy. 2006 Jul;36(7):892-8.

8. Effect of influenza vaccine on markers of inflammation and lipid profile..

Tsai MY et al. J Lab Clin Med. 2005 Jun;145(6):323-7.

Love, Gabby. :0)

http://stemcellforautism.blogspot.com/

 

" I know of nobody who is purely Autistic or purely neurotypical. Even God had

some Autistic moments, which is why the planets all spin. " ~ Jerry Newport