Dimitrov D H, Dashti S A, Ball J M, Bishbishi E, Alsaeid K, Jiang X, Estes M K
Department of Microbiology, Medical Faculty, University of Kuwait.
J Med Virol. 1997 Feb;51(2):115-8.
Baculovirus recombinant-expressed antigens of Norwalk viruses (rNV) and a Mexico strain (rMX) of the Snow Mountain serogroup of human caliciviruses (HuCVs) were used in enzyme immunoassays to study the antibody prevalence among the Kuwaiti population and foreign workers employed in Kuwait. The antibody titers in 16 different age groups which ranged from neonates to centenarians were investigated by testing eight different dilutions of each serum (1:200-1:25,600). The results indicate that NV infection is widespread in Kuwait and affects all age groups Ninety-eight percent of the 433 serum samples tested had antibodies to rNV. In the 50-79-year, old age group, the antibody levels to rNV were higher and significantly different from those in children 0-7 years old. In infants, the rNV antibodies did not diminish by 4 months of age and their titer steadily increased with age. When 414 of these sera samples were tested for antibodies to rMX, 96% positive serological responses were observed. Antibody titers to rMX were reduced in infants from 4 to 11 months; however, 95% of the samples were positive. These data indicate that children born in Kuwait are infected with Norwalk-like viruses at a very early age. Finally, antibodies to rNV and rMX were found in 98% of 151 and in 95% of 148 foreign workers, respectively.
诺如病毒（rNV）的杆状病毒重组表达抗原以及人杯状病毒（HuCVs）雪山血清群的墨西哥毒株（rMX）被用于酶免疫测定，以研究科威特人群和在科威特工作的外国工人中的抗体流行情况。通过检测每份血清的八种不同稀释度（1:200 - 1:25,600），对从新生儿到百岁老人的16个不同年龄组的抗体滴度进行了调查。结果表明，NV感染在科威特广泛存在，影响所有年龄组。在检测的433份血清样本中，98%的样本对rNV有抗体。在50 - 79岁年龄组中，对rNV的抗体水平较高，且与0 - 7岁儿童的抗体水平有显著差异。在婴儿中，rNV抗体在4个月大时并未减少，且其滴度随年龄稳步增加。当对其中414份血清样本检测rMX抗体时，观察到96%的血清学阳性反应。婴儿从4个月到11个月时，对rMX的抗体滴度降低；然而，95%的样本呈阳性。这些数据表明，在科威特出生的儿童在很小的时候就感染了诺如样病毒。最后，在151名外国工人中，98%的人对rNV有抗体，在148名外国工人中，95%的人对rMX有抗体。
