SERUM, FECAL, AND BREAST-MILK ROTAVIRUS ANTIBODIES AS INDEXES OF INFECTION IN MOTHER-INFANT PAIRS

Sixty-eight mother-infant pairs were followed for 12-17 months after b irth. Rotavirus infections in children were detected by EIA of weekly fecal antigen and anti-rotavirus IgA levels, by EIA of anti-rotavirus IgG in sera at birth, 6, or 12-17 months of age, and by anti-rotavirus EIA IgA and neutralizing antibody (NA) in monthly samples of maternal breast milk. Primary rotavirus infection was detected in 26 children (in 15 [58%] by fecal excretion, 12 [46%] by IgG seroconversion, and 2 2 [85%] by elevations of IgA anti-rotavirus antibodies [IgA coproconve rsion] in consecutive fecal specimens). Rotavirus ''challenge'' was de tected by rises in levels of NA in breast milk in 9 (47%) of 19 mother s, including 5 (26%) from pairs in which there was no other evidence o f rotavirus infection. Reinfections were detected in 2 children by rot avirus excretion and in 4 by coproconversion. IgA coproconversion is t he most sensitive technique for detection of symptomatic and asymptoma tic rotavirus infection in young children.