title: The incidence of complement-fixing antibody to varicella-zoster virus in hospital patients and blood donors.
abstract: The sera of 308 patients, not suffering from varicella or zoster infections, and the sera of 183 blood donors were examined for complement-fixing antibody to varicella-zoster virus. In both groups about 70% of sera from persons aged 11-40 years had antibody titres >/= 1/4; the incidence was less in the age range 41-60 years and increased in later decades. Antibody titres of 1/16 or 1/32 were noticeably less frequent in those aged 41-60 years than in younger or older groups.It was concluded that an unchanging titre of 1/16 or 1/32 was of no diagnostic significance. The age distribution of antibody was consistent with the theory that zoster only occurs when antibody has declined.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000906:Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D000941:Antigens; D001782:Blood Donors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003168:Complement Fixation Tests; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008875:Middle Aged; D010361:Patients; D018139:Simplexvirus / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D000941:Antigens