Antibody against viruses in maternal and cord sera: non-specific inhibitors are found to higher titre on the maternal side of the circulation

Abstract

SUMMARYPregnancies were identified in which maternal IgG antibodies against rubella virus were not detectable by single radial haemolysis. Twenty paired maternal/cord sera were then tested for haemagglutination-inhibiting (HI) activity against rubella virus without kaolin pretreatment of the sera. In the absence of specific antibody, the HI activity observed could thus be ascribed to the effect ofnon-specific inhibitors. The HI activity in maternal sera was significantly (P < 0 001) higher than that in cord sera. The 20 pairs of sera were similarly tested against a bunyavirus, an alphavirus and a flavivirus, both with and without kaolin pretreatment. The results showed non-specific inhibitors were found to higher titre in maternal sera, with the difference being statistically significant (P < 0 001) for each of the three viruses.

Transplacentally Transferred Maternal-Infant Antibodies to Dengue Virus

“…Higher maternal levels of antibody were found for rubella, HIV and Plasmodium falciparum. 15,26,27 All of these data suggest that the transplacental transfer of antibody from mother to infant is selective. 28 Previous studies of maternal-infant IgG subclasses to various pathogens demonstrated higher levels of IgG1, lower levels of IgG2, and equivalent levels of IgG3 and IgG4 in maternal sera compared with that of their infants.…”