ROTAVIRUS-SPECIFIC ANTIBODY-RESPONSE IN SALIVA OF INFANTS WITH ROTAVIRUS DIARRHEA

The reliability of saliva as an indicator of rotavirus infection was assessed among 15 infants (3–12 months) with rotaviral and 15 with nonrotaviral diarrhea. Paired salivary samples collected during acute and convalescent phases were tested for rotavirus-specific IgA and IgM byan ELISA. The sensitivity of IgA or IgM alone to predict infection was 53.3% and 46.6%, respectively; used in conjunction, the sensitivity rose to 80%. It seems that infants with rotaviral diarrhea mount mucosal antibody responses as reflected in their saliva; possibly salivary antibodies could beused to evaluate vaccine “take” in rotavirus vaccine trials. © 1990, by The University of Chicago.