Newborns treated with antibiotics respond less well to vaccines, study shows

An Australian study found that babies with early exposure to antibiotics had lower levels of antibodies against jabs in later infancy

Babies who are treated with antibiotics as newborns have reduced immune responses to vaccines in later infancy, likely due to changes in the gut microbiome, new research suggests.

The Australian study tracked 191 healthy babies from birth, finding that those who received antibiotics in the first few weeks of life had significantly lower levels of antibodies against multiple vaccines at seven and 15 months.