Serum, fecal, and breast milk rotavirus antibodies as indices of infection in mother-infant pairs.
Sixty-eight mother-infant pairs were followed for 12-17 months after birth. Rotavirus infections in children were detected by EIA of weekly fecal antigen and anti-rotavirus IgA levels, by EIA of anti-rotavirus IgG in sera at birth, 6, or 12-17 months of age, and by anti-rotavirus EIA IgA and neutralizing antibody (NA) in monthly samples of maternal breast milk. Primary rotavirus infection was detected in 26 children (in 15 [58%] by fecal excretion, 12 [46%] by IgG seroconversion, and 22 [85%] by elevations of IgA anti-rotavirus antibodies [IgA coproconversion] in consecutive fecal specimens). Rotavirus "challenge" was detected by rises in levels of NA in breast milk in 9 (47%) of 19 mothers, including 5 (26%) from pairs in which there was no other evidence of rotavirus infection. Reinfections were detected in 2 children by rotavirus excretion and in 4 by coproconversion. IgA coproconversion is the most sensitive technique for detection of symptomatic and asymptomatic rotavirus infection in young children.
Bishop
R F
RF
Department of Gastroenterology, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia.
Bugg
H C
HC
Masendycz
P J
PJ
Lund
J S
JS
Gorrell
R J
RJ
Barnes
G L
GL
D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D012401:Rotavirus / Q000276:immunology*; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012621:Seasons; D014739:Victoria; D017201:Virus Shedding
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G