Rimer H C, Wasserman S S, Flores J, Pichichero M E, Losonsky G A
Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore 21201.
J Infect Dis. 1992 May;165(5):826-30. doi: 10.1093/infdis/165.5.826.
Milk was collected from 56 New York and 70 Venezuelan mothers participating in Rhesus rotavirus (RRV) pediatric vaccine trials. Plaque reduction neutralization antibody (PRNA) to RRV (VP7:3, VP4:RRV) and human P rotavirus (VP7:3, VP4:P) and epitope-blocking antibody to one RRV VP4 and VP7 epitope were determined. Controlling for postpartum age, more Venezuelan milk samples had detectable RRV and P PRNA, RRV VP4 epitope-blocking antibody (P less than or equal to .001), and higher RRV and P PRNA geometric mean titers (P = .01) than New York samples. Using a logistic regression model, both milk and infants' serum preimmunization RRV PRNA titers had a negative effect on seroconversion (P = .008 and .02, respectively). Only 25% (2/8) infants fed milk containing greater than or equal to 1:160 RRV PRNA seroconverted compared with 83% (5/6) fed milk containing less than 1:160 RRV PRNA (P = .1). Of milk samples containing greater than or equal to 1:160 RRV PRNA, seven (88%) of eight had greater than fourfold neutralizing activity against RRV versus P (P = .035), suggesting that VP4-specific milk antibodies may interfere with RRV seroconversion.
