Posted on | CategoriesPediatrics / Prevention | PI: Julie H. Shakib, DO

Translating Influenza Immunization in Pregnancy into Infant Immunity

Infants with influenza are at increased risk for adverse outcomes, particularly in the first six months when they are unable to mount a sufficient response to influenza immunization. Few large-scale studies have evaluated the impact of maternal immunization during pregnancy on subsequent infant influenza outcomes. To address this gap, Julie Shakib, DO, and colleagues conducted a retrospective cohort study of 245,386 pregnant women and their infants over nine influenza seasons. They found that infants born to women reporting influenza immunization during pregnancy had risk reductions of 70% for influenza infection and 81% for influenza hospitalization in the first six months. Continue reading → Translating Influenza Immunization in Pregnancy into Infant Immunity

Research Statement

Dr. Julie H. Shakib is a general pediatrician whose primary clinical interest is preventive care for infants. Dr. Shakib serves as Medical Director of the Well Baby and Intermediate Care Nurseries at the University of Utah where she cares for patients, teaches physician trainees, and guides care process improvement efforts.

Dr. Shakib has extensive training and experience in clinical patient care, research investigation, and research education. She completed her undergraduate education and Master of Public Health degree at the University of Utah and her medical degree from Des Moines University Osteopathic Health Sciences Center. During her pediatric residency at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, she was awarded an American Academy of Pediatrics Resident Research Grant to conduct a pertussis antibody study in mother-infant pairs. After completing residency training, she returned to the University of Utah and completed a primary care research fellowship and Master of Science in Clinical Investigation degree.

Dr. Shakib has focused her research platform on immunization strategies to protect young infants against vaccine-preventable diseases. She has served as Principal Investigator or Co-Investigator on extramural awards from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Health Resources and Services Administration, and the Thrasher Research Fund involving influenza and pertussis immunization in pregnant women and infants. Dr. Shakib currently serves as a Co-Investigator for a Respiratory Syncytial Virus vaccine trial in pregnant women.