ASSOCIATION OF HUMAN ROTAVIRUS INFECTION AND INTESTINAL ROTAVIRUS-SPECIFIC IMMUNOGLOBULIN-A IN CHILDREN WITH DIARRHEA

The purpose of this study was to determine the role of intestinal spec ific rotavirus IgA antibody in protection against diarrhoea due to rot avirus infection, Stool from children aged below 5 years with diarrhoe a who reported to the Paediatric Observation Ward, Kenyatta National H ospital were examined for micro-organisms and IgA antibody, Specific r otavirus IgA antibody and antigen were determined using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay technique. Out of 153 stool specimens, 22% (34/153 ) were positive for rotavirus antigen and 15% (23/153) had IgA specifi c antibody to rotavirus. Children with specific IgA to rotavirus had n o rotavirus except in two cases (p<0.05). There was no difference in l evels of specific: IgA antibody between normal and malnourished childr en (p=0.4). It is probable that intestinal specific IgA to rotavirus p rotects children against rotavirus diarrhoea.