Perinatal inflammation influences but does not arrest rapid immune development in preterm babies

Infection and infection-related complications are important causes of death and morbidity following preterm birth. Despite this risk, there is limited understanding of the development of the immune system in those born prematurely, and of how this development is influenced by perinatal factors. Here we prospectively and longitudinally follow a cohort of babies born before 32 weeks of gestation. We demonstrate that preterm babies, including those born extremely prematurely (
The infant immune system is continuously shaped by environmental factors. Here the authors demonstrate that rapid immune development in preterm babies is modulated by perinatal inflammation more than gut microbiota, and that lower CXCL8-producing T cells may identify infants susceptible to infection.