title: Seroprevalence of human respiratory syncytial virus and human metapneumovirus in healthy population analyzed by recombinant fusion protein-based enzyme linked immunosorbent assay.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Human respiratory syncytial virus (hRSV) and human metapneumovirus (hMPV) are two of the most frequent respiratory pathogens that circulate worldwide. Infection with either virus can lead to hospitalization of young children, immunocompromised people and the elderly.A better understanding of the epidemiological aspects, such as prevalence of these viruses in the population will be of significant importance to the scientific community. The aim of this study was to gain some detailed knowledge on the humoral immune response to both viruses in different populations of individuals.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The fusion protein (F) of hRSV and hMPV was expressed in the baculovirus and Escherichia coli systems, respectively, and used as antigen in two independent enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) for detection of specific antibodies in human sera. The seroprevalence of each virus in a large cohort of individuals with ages ranging from 0 to 89 years old was determined. Although the general distribution of the antibody response to each virus in the different age group was similar, the prevalence of hRSV appeared to be higher than that of hMPV in most of them. The group of children with ages between 0 and 2 showed the highest seronegative rates. After this age, an increase in the antibody response was observed, most likely as the result of new infections or even due to reinfections.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of these specific F-ELISAs in seroepidemiological studies might be helpful for a better understanding of the human antibody response to these viruses.
authors: Inmunología y Genética Aplicada S. A. (INGENASA), Madrid, Spain. psastre@ingenasa.es
authors: Patricia
authors: P
authors: Sastre
authors: Tamara
authors: T
authors: Ruiz
authors: Oliver
authors: O
authors: Schildgen
authors: Verena
authors: V
authors: Schildgen
authors: Carmen
authors: C
authors: Vela
authors: Paloma
authors: P
authors: Rueda
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D016367:Baculoviridae / Q000235:genetics; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D029121:Metapneumovirus / Q000276:immunology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D018184:Paramyxoviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D018357:Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D018113:Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins