Epidemiology and Infection

Table of Contents - 1989 - Volume 103, Issue 03  

Research Article

The time course of the humoral immune response to rhinovirus infection

W. S. Barclaya1a2 c1, W. Al-Nakiba1a3, P. G. Higginsa1 and D. A. J. Tyrrella1

a1 MRC Common Cold Unit, Harvard Hospital, Coombe Road, Salisbury, Wilts, SP2 8BW

a2 Department of Microbiology, University of Reading, London Road, Reading, Berks RG1 5AQ

a3 Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kuwait

Abstract

The specific humoral immune response of 17 volunteers to infection with human rhinovirus type 2 (HRV-2) has been measured both by neutralization and by ELISA. Six volunteers who had HRV-2-specific antibodies in either serum or nasal secretions before HRV-2 inoculation were resistant to infection and illness. Of the remaining 11 volunteers who had little pre-existing HRV-2-specific antibody, one was immune but 10 became infected and displayed increases in HRV-2-specific antibodies. These antibodies first increased 1–2 weeks after infection and reached a maximum at 5 weeks. All six resistant volunteers who had high pre-existing antibody and eight of the volunteers who became infected maintained their HRV-2-specific antibody for at least 1 year. At this time they were protected against reinfection. Two volunteers showed decreases in HRV-2-specific antibodies from either serum or nasal secretions. They became infected but not ill after HRV-2 inoculation 1 year later.

(Accepted August 01 1989)

Correspondence:

c1 present address at Reading.

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