Influenza B at Christ's Hospital: natural antibody to influenza B estimated by radial haemolysis

Abstract

SUMMARYThe technique of radial haemolysis (SRH) was used to assess the response to infection with different strains of influenza B virus, to determine the persistence of antibody following such infection and to examine sera from boys entering school at age 11 years. The technique detected 95 % of infections and in primary infection the antibody response was mainly to the infecting strain. Re-infections resulted in a broad response, both to the homotypic strain and to strains more distantly related. Antibody to the homotypic strain persisted for at least 3 years but in some individuals the reaction with heterotypic strains tended to become weakerresulting in zones of incomplete lysis -or was lost. Examination of the sera collected on entry to the school showed that about 60 % of the boys bled before

Natural or vaccine-induced antibody as a predictor of immunity in the face of natural challenge with influenza viruses

“…Other studies on vaccinated groups of adults have shown that antibody persists well during the year following vaccination (Cate et al 1983;Jennings et al 1985). Previous investigations on school children have shown that whilst antibody may decline abruptly from a peak titre achieved shortly after natural infection or vaccination, it is lost much more slowly thereafter (Smith & Davies, 1976;Grilli & Davies, 1981). The small loss of antibody observed in this study over 3 years suggests that the antibody detected in pre-outbreak sera would not have declined significantly before the challenge.…”

“…The technique used was a modification of that described by Oxford et al (1979) and has been described in detail previously (Grilli & Davies, 1981;Grilli & Smith, 1983 All sera from individual pupils were examined together at the end of the study. In our hands a 1-0 mm or greater increase in zone diameter between two consecutive sera has been shown to be statistically significant (Grilli & Davies, 1981) and was taken as evidence of infection or response to vaccine. These serological responses were based on antibodies detected in the annual sera.…”

“…The evidence from this study indicates that whilst antibody surveys of populations may provide some information about susceptibility to challenge with new strains of influenza viruses, the cirucumstances of the induction of the INTRODUCTION Infection or vaccination with influenza viruses induces the production of antibodies which react both with the strain providing the antigenic stimulus and often with drifted strains of the same serotype (Smith & Davies, 1976;Oxford et al 1979;Grilli & Davies, 1981;Grilli, Davies & Smith, 1986).…”

Interpretation of responses and protective levels of antibody against attenuated influenza A viruses using single radial haemolysis

“…The single radial haemolysis (SRH) test (Russell, McCahon and Beare, 1975;Schild, Pereira & Chakraverty, 1975) is now widely used for the determination of antibody to influenza A and B viruses in both vaccine studies and following natural infections (Vaananen et al, 1976;Farrohi et al 1977;Delem & Jovanovic, 1978;Cretescu et al 1979;Chakraverty, 1980;Grilli & Davies, 1981;Oxford, Yetts & Schild, 1982;Yamagishi et al 1982; Goodeve, Jennings and Potter, 1983). It is a test both simple and reproducible, rapid to perform, and more sensitive than the conventional haemagglutination-inhibition (HI) test (Russel, McCahon & Beare, 1975;Oxford et al 1982;Goodeve, Jennings & Potter, 1983;Jennings et al 1984).…”

The use of a radial haemolysis test for neuraminidase antibodies in the diagnosis of influenza A infection

“…Over recent years radial haemolysis (RH) has become a recognised diagnostic procedure and serological surveillance technique. For influenza B viruses RH has been shown to be superior to HI both in the diagnosis of infection and in serological surveys (Chakraverty, 1980;Grilli & Davies, 1981). RH has also become an alternative to the HI test for strains of influenza A virus.…”