Serum antibody as a marker of protection against natural rotavirus infection and disease.
To determine whether naturally acquired serum IgA and IgG antibodies were associated with protection against rotavirus infection and illness, a cohort of 200 Mexican infants was monitored weekly for rotavirus excretion and diarrhea from birth to age 2 years. Serum samples collected during the first week after birth and every 4 months were tested for anti-rotavirus IgA and IgG. Children with an IgA titer >1:800 had a lower risk of rotavirus infection (adjusted relative risk [aRR], 0.21; P<.001) and diarrhea (aRR, 0. 16; P=.01) and were protected completely against moderate-to-severe diarrhea. However, children with an IgG titer >1:6400 were protected against rotavirus infection (aRR, 0.51; P<.001) but not against rotavirus diarrhea. Protective antibody titers were achieved after 2 consecutive symptomatic or asymptomatic rotavirus infections. These findings indicate that serum anti-rotavirus antibody, especially IgA, was a marker of protection against rotavirus infection and moderate-to-severe diarrhea.
Velázquez
F R
FR
Department of Infectious Diseases, Instituto Nacional de la Nutrición, Mexico City, Mexico.
Matson
D O
DO
Guerrero
M L
ML
Shults
J
J
Calva
J J
JJ
Morrow
A L
AL
Glass
R I
RI
Pickering
L K
LK
Ruiz-Palacios
G M
GM
D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015986:Confounding Factors, Epidemiologic; D003968:Diarrhea, Infantile / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000097:blood; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008800:Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology; D012401:Rotavirus / Q000276:immunology*; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D015415:Biomarkers; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G