PREVALENCE OF ANTIBODIES AGAINST HEP-2 CELL ANTIGEN IN INFANTS AND CHILDREN HOSPITALIZED WITH RESPIRATORY SYNCYTIAL VIRUS-INFECTION

Infants with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection were shown to have antibodies against HEp-2 cell antigen present in RSV-antigen pre paration used for immunoblot analysis, The prevalence of anti HEp-2 ce ll antibodies was examined in infants hospitalized for RSV infection ( n = 49, median age 121 days) compared to rotavirus infected children ( n = 30, median age 114 days) and to healthy controls (n = 20, median a ge 150 days). The immunoblot analysis with RSV-infected and non-infect ed HEp-2 cells as antigen revealed the expected age-dependent low prev alence of G protein antibodies and clear seroconversion of N and P pro tein antibodies, HEQ-2 antibody prevalence was higher in RSV antigen-p ositive infants (33/49) than in rotavirus antigen-positive (5/30) and RSV antigen-negative infants (4/20), respectively (p < 0.001), Anti HE p-2 antibodies were mostly directed against 47, 46, 33, 30 kD antigens . A multiple regression analysis found the following correlations (odd s ratio; 95% confidence interval): 42 kD RSV antibodies (N protein) wi th pneumonia (7.58; 1.43-40), 94 kD RSV antibodies (G protein) with br onchiolitis (0.064; 0.006-0.686), This study shows repeated well-known features of humoral immunity in RSV infection, The data on anti HEp-2 antibodies point to a role for these pre-existing autoreactive antibo dies in the pathogenesis of RSV infection.