Serum antibody as a marker of protection against natural rotavirus infection and disease

FR Velázquez, DO Matson, ML Guerrero… - The Journal of …, 2000 - academic.oup.com
FR Velázquez, DO Matson, ML Guerrero, J Shults, JJ Calva, AL Morrow, RI Glass
The Journal of infectious diseases, 2000academic.oup.com
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 …
Abstract
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 moderateto-severe diarrhea.
Oxford University Press