Fluctuation of virus antibody levels in healthy adults

Abstract

In order to determine fluctuations in virus antibody levels, blood specimens were collected weekly from 13 healthy adults during a nine-week period and tested by enzyme immunoassay for IgG antibodies against measles, rubella and cytomegalovirus. In 29 of 35 subject-titer pairs the difference between the highest and lowest titers observed was less than twofold, in five cases it was between twofold and threefold, and in one case it was 3.3-fold. These differences were higher than those caused by intraassay variation alone. The results indicate that some physiological fluctuations seem to occur in the antibody levels of healthy individuals. Although the fluctuations are usually small, care should be taken if titer increases less than fourfold are used as a criterion to indicate recent infection.

Brucella abortus Strain RB51 Administered to Prepubescent Water Buffaloes, from Vaccination to Lactation: Kinetics of Antibody Response and Vaccine Safety

“…Minimal fluctuations of antibody concentrations, usually within the range of one twofold dilution, may explain the variation in negative and positive results of sequential sampling. These physiological fluctuations have been reported in cattle and humans [34][35][36].…”

Isolation and Cultivation of a New Isolate of BTV-25 and Presumptive Evidence for a Potential Persistent Infection in Healthy Goats

“…In contrast, for classical BTV a long-lasting antibody response was observed in both sheep and cattle for at least 7.5 years [41,42]. In healthy individuals, true physiological fluctuations of antibody titers can result from polyclonal activation or depression of B-cells as observed for measles virus [43]. Long-term viral RNA persistence in cattle is known for Vesicular stomatitis virus, with fluctuations of IgG antibodies as shown in endemic areas such as Costa Rica.…”