Survival of rotavirus antibody activity derived from bovine colostrum after passage through the human gastrointestinal tract

Background: Rotavirus is a major cause of infectious diarrhea in infants an d young children. Several studies have shown that hyperimmune bovine colost rum, derived from cows immunized with rotavirus, can prevent rotavirus diar rhea when given passively. The objective of this study was to determine whe ther colostral antibody activity survived transit through the gut by measur ing the level of rotavirus antibody activity in the feces. Methods: Hyperimmune colostrum containing different levels of rotavirus ant ibody was administered to 105 children attending nine Adelaide childcare ce ntres. Subjects were asked to drink 100 ml of whole milk supplemented with colostrum 3 times a day, for a period of 6 days. Stool samples were collect ed from the subjects before, during, and after consumption of the study pro duct. Rotavirus activity was determined using a novel virus reduction enzym e-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and a virus neutralization assay. Results: Rotavirus antibody activity was detected in 521 (86%) of 602 fecal specimens obtained during the study using the virus reduction ELISA. The a ntibody activity was detected as early as 8 hours after ingestion of hyperi mmune colostrum and up to 72 hours after consumption had ceased, There was a strong relation (r = 0.81) between the titer of rotavirus antibody admini stered to subjects and the level of antibody activity detected in the feces . Conclusions: The results show that antirotavirus activity survived passage through the gut. Therefore, passive immunotherapy may be used to prevent or treat infectious diseases that affect the entire length of the gastrointes tinal tract.