title: Distribution of antibodies to a causative agent of exanthem subitum (human herpesvirus-6) in healthy individuals.
abstract: The transfer of IgG antibodies to a causative agent of exanthem subitum (human herpesvirus-6) from mother to infant was examined with an indirect immunofluorescence assay. Of 20 mothers, 85% had the antibody more than 1:10, and the significantly higher level of the antibody was found in the cord blood with a positive rate of 95%. A mean ratio of cord blood to maternal antibody titer was 1.63. A total of 301 sera from healthy individuals was examined for the age-specific prevalence of antibody to the virus. In the first 2 months of life, 87% of infants had the antibody; the positive rate and the level of antibody decreased during the first 6 months of life with the lowest positive rate of 6% at 4 to 5 months of age. After 6 months of age, they increased gradually and reached the highest level at 1 year of age with the positive rate of 86%. From 2 years of age, the prevalence of the antibody was almost stable (69% to 76%) and similar to those in adolescents and adults.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Fujita Gakuen Health University, School of Medicine, Aichi, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yoshikawa
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Suga
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Asano
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yazaki
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kodama
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ozaki
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005077:Exanthema Subitum / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000276:immunology; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006564:Herpesviridae / Q000276:immunology*; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007112:Immunity, Maternally-Acquired; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007074:Immunoglobulin G