Summary
The antibody response to rubella virion antigen and rubella S antigen was studied in natural rubella infection and after vaccination with live attenuated rubella virus by the complement fixation (CF), platelet aggregation (PA), and hemagglutination inhibition (HI) techniques.
In natural rubella infection CP and HI antibodies to rubella virion appeared early and rapidly reached high titers. The CP and PA antibody responses to rubella S antigen were more delayed and great individual variation was seen. Generally CF-S titers were several times lower than CF-V titers. The CF antibody response to rubella S antigen is thus different from the immune response to nucleoprotein S antigens of paramyxoviruses, supporting the concept that rubella S antigen is a subunit of virus envelope. Use of virus-free rubella S antigen preparations in routine CF test is recommended for detecting later rises of antibody titer.
After rubella vaccination a 95% seroconversion rate was recorded in both HI and CF-V tests, but the titers were lower than after natural infection. The CF-S and PA antibody responses were weaker and measurable antibodies developed in only 50% and 25% of the cases respectively.
Rubella-specific IgM antibodies could be detected in rubella infection by both sucrose gradient fractionation (followed by HI titration) and fluorescent antibody (FA) techniques. The former was a little more sensitive. In the seronegative vaccinees IgM antibodies became demonstrable in 50% of the cases between the 20th and 55th day after vaccination.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Schmidt, N. J., E. H. Lennette, P. S. Gee, andJ. Dennis: Physical and immunologic properties of rubella antigens. J. Immunol.100, 851–857 (1968).
Schmidt, N. J., andB. Styk: Immunodiffusion reactions with rubella antigens. J. Immunol.100, 210–216 (1968).
Vaheri, A., andT. Vesikari: Small size rubella virus antigens and soluble immune complexes: analysis by the platelet aggregation technique. Arch. ges. Virusforsch.35, 10–24 (1971).
Myllylä, G., A. Vaheri, T. Vesikari, andK. Penttinen: Interaction between human blood platelets, viruses and antibodies. IV. Clin. exp. Immunol.4, 323–332 (1969).
Lennette, E. H., N. J. Schmidt, andR. L. Magoffin: The hemagglutination inhibition test for rubella: A comparison of its sensitivity to that of neutralization, complement fixation and fluorescent antibody tests for diagnosis of infection and determination of immunity status. J. Immunol.99, 785–793 (1967).
Halonen, P. E., J. M. Ryan, andJ. A. Stewart: Rubella hemagglutinin prepared with alkaline extraction of virus grown in suspension culture of BHK-21 cells. Proc. Soc. exp. Biol. (N.Y.)125, 162–167 (1967).
Vaheri, A., C-H. von Bonsdorff, T. Vesikari, T. Hovi, andP. Väänänen: Purification of rubella virus particles. J. gen. Virol.5, 39–46 (1969).
Halonen, P. E., J. A. Stewart, andA. D. Hall: Rubella hemagglutinin in serum free suspension culture of BHK-21 cells. Ann. Med. exp. Fenn.45, 182–185 (1967).
Penttinen, K., andG. Myllylä: Interaction of human blood platelets, viruses and antibodies. I. Platelet aggregation test with microequipment. Ann. Med. exp. Fenn.46, 188–192 (1968).
Vesikari, T., andA. Vaheri: Rubella: A method for rapid diagnosis of a recent infection by demonstration of the IgM antibodies. Brit. med. J.1, 221–223 (1968).
Linder, E., and T.Tallberg: Scandinavian Symposium on Immunology, Stockholm (1969).
Salmi, A.: Gel precipitation reactions between alkaline extracted rubella antigens and human sera. Acta path. microbiol. scand.76, 271–278 (1969).
Henle, G., A. Harris, andW. Henle: The reactivity of various human sera with mumps complement fixation antigens. J. exp. Med.88, 133–147 (1948).
Grayzel, A. I., andC. Beck: Rubella infection of synovial cells and the resistance of cells derived from patients with rheumatoid arthritis. J. exp. Med.131, 367–375 (1970).
Sever, J. L., D. A. Fuccillo, G. L. Gitnick, R. J. Huebner, M. R. Gilkeson, A. C. Ley, N. Tzan, andR. G. Traub: Rubella antibody determinations. Pediatrics40, 789–797 (1967).
Best, J. M., J. E. Banatvala, andD. Watson: Serum IgM and IgG responses in postnatally acquired rubella. LancetII, 65–68 (1969).
Baublis, J. V., andG. C. Brown: Specific response of the immunoglobulins to rubella infection. Proc. Soc. exp. Biol. (N.Y.)128, 206–210 (1968).
Cohen, S. M., C. P. Ducharme, C. A. Carpenter, andK. Deibel: Rubella antibody in IgG and IgM immunolgobulins detected by immunofluorescence. J. Lab. clin. Med.72, 760–766 (1968).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Vesikari, T., Vaheri, A. & Leinikki, P. Antibody response to rubella virion (V) and soluble (S) antigens in rubella infection and following vaccination with live attenuated rubella virus. Archiv f Virusforschung 35, 25–37 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01249749
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01249749