Development of a lymphocyte transformation assay for rotavirus in whole blood and breast milk

Abstract

A multivariate assay was developed for detecting lymphproliferative responses to rotavirus in whole blood and breast milk. Detection of lymphocyte transformation in samples from healthy uninfected adults required an assay incorporating a large number of antigen and cell concentrations and several incubation periods before pulsing. In contrast, lymphoproliferation to rotavirus was observed over a wider range of these variables in blood collected from a kidney recipient nine days post‐rotavirus infection. Lymphoproliferation to rotavirus was detected in 32.5% of breast milk samples tested. The magnitude of lymphoproliferation to rotavirus did not correlate with rotavirus‐specific IgG ELISA antibody titres in sera or with rotavirus‐specific IgA ELISA antibody titres in breast milk.