A newborn's first few days of life is fragile and potentially dangerous, navigating a world full of viruses, infections and bacteria. Many around the world don't survive. "A large proportion of childhood mortality is newborn mortality and there's a lot we don't know about neonatal immunology," said Dr. Jeffrey Pernica, head of pediatric infectious disease at McMaster Children's Hospital in Hamilton. In most of Canada and the developed world, infants are given their first vaccine at two to three months, for diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus and polio. 'A large proportion of childhood mortality is newborn mortality and there's a lot we don't know about neonatal immunology,' said McMaster University's Dr. Jeffrey Pernica.

Source: CBC News March 19, 2019 07:52 UTC