Serum and intestinal immune response to rotavirus enteritis in children.

This study was designed to assess the serum and mucosal immune response to naturally acquired rotavirus enteritis in children. Serum and duodenal secretions were collected 1 week and again 4 to 5 weeks after the onset of illness from 10 children. In two of these children, the procedure was repeated 12 to 15 months later. Another 10 children with bacterial enteritis were studied as controls. The antibody response in serum included a significant elevation of rotavirus-specific immunoglobulin M (IgM) in acute-phase samples (P less than 0.05), but not in convalescent-phase samples, when compared with controls. Rotavirus-specific IgG and IgA levels were significantly elevated in convalescent-phase serum when compared with acute-phase serum (P less than 0.025), but not in control serum. Rotavirus-specific IgA levels in convalescent duodenal secretions were significantly raised when compared with both acute-phase and control samples (P less than 0.01). Rotavirus-specific IgM levels were elevated in acute-phase duodenal secretions (P less than 0.05), but not in convalescent-phase secretions. In two children, the secretory IgA response had disappeared by 12 months. These studies demonstrate the presence of rotavirus-specific antibody in duodenal secretions which may be important for protection against reinfection and may be capable of being stimulated by oral vaccination.