Class and subclass distribution of Hantavirus-specific serum antibodies at different times after the onset of nephropathia epidemica.

Sera from Dutch and Belgium individuals who suffered from nephropathia epidemica (NE), a mild form of haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS), were tested for the distribution of classes and subclasses of Hantavirus (HV)-specific antibodies at different times after the onset of the disease, with class- and subclass-specific Ig capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs). In the acute, early convalescent, and convalescent phases, predominantly specific IgA, IgM, and IgG3 antibodies were detected. Specific IgG2 antibodies were only detected at low levels in the early convalescent and convalescent phases. In the late convalescent phase specific IgG1 and IgG3 antibodies were found, whereas in the late postconvalescent phase only specific IgG1 antibodies proved to be present. Specific IgG4 antibodies were not detected in any of the respective phases. These data show that the simultaneous determination of classes and subclasses of HV specific serum antibodies allows the estimation of the time elapsed after the onset of NE.