title: Strain specificity of serum antibody to the haemagglutinin of influenza A (H3N2) viruses in children following immunization or natural infection.
abstract: The specificity of serum anti-HA antibody from children immunized or infected with A/Victoria/75 (H3N2 or A/Texas/77 (H3N2) virus was examined using the single radial haemolysis test together with adsorption of antibody with three antigenic variants A/Hong Kong/68 (H3N2), A/Port Chalmers/73 (H3N2) and A/Victoria/75 (H3N2). The majority of young children reacted to vaccination or infection by producing strain-specific (SS) antibody to the homologous virus. A small proportion of children's sera contained cross-reacting (CR) antibodies capable of reacting with the haemagglutinins of all antigenic variants of the sub-type including A/HK/1/68. In contrast, most adults reacted immunologically to either vaccination or infection by producing CR antibody, reacting with all variants of the antigenic subtype including the prototype virus A/HK/1/68 (H3N2).
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000917:Antibody Formation; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003429:Cross Reactions; D006461:Hemolysis; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D053122:Influenza A Virus, H3N2 Subtype; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000276:immunology*; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000276:immunology; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000276:immunology; D008875:Middle Aged; D014611:Vaccination
chemical_list: D007252:Influenza Vaccines