Development of serum and intestinal antibody response to rotavirus after naturally acquired rotavirus infection in man

Abstract

The temporal characteristics of the response of rotavirus specific IgM, IgG and IgA in serum and secretory antibody to rotavirus in feces were studied in 77 hospitalized patients with rotavirus gastroenteritis. The response in serum was characterized by the sequential appearance of rotavirus specific IgM, IgG and IgA antibody. The IgM antibody appeared to be higher in the acute phase of the disease and was subsequently replaced by the IgG and IgA antibodies. The titers of IgG rotavirus antibody in convalescent specimens of serum were statistically significantly lower in patients with severe or prolonged rotavirus infection than in specimens from subjects with mild or moderate disease. Most fecal specimens collected during both the acute and convalescent phase of illness contained virus specific secretory IgA. Higher concentrations of antibody were measured in convalescent samples from patients with prolonged diarrhea and virus shedding. A possible relationship between the severity of rotavirus infection and the nature of systemic and secretory antibody response is suggested.