ANTIBODY RESPONSES TO NATURALLY OCCURRING POLIOMYELITIS INFECTIONS IN CHILDREN

[摘要] Thirteen of fourteen children with a clinical diagnosis of poliomyelitis showed high neutralizing antibody titers in tissue culture tests aganst prototype viruses, as early as two days after the first symptom, and persisting for as long as 18 months without significant change in titer. A significant increase in titer from that during the first week was occasionally encountered, but the initial titer was usually in the same range as that of the subsequent 18 months. The 14th child had antibodies against none of the prototype poliomyelitis viruses, though his clinical history was quite compatible with a non-paralytic infection. In the third month this patient's Type 2 antibody rose after six negative serums to 1:5120, possibly indicating an inapparent poliomyelitis infection several months after an erroneous diagnosis of poliomyelitis.Stool specimens were available from seven of the 14 children. Six Type 1 poliomyelitis viruses and one Type 2 virus were recovered from these stools. Neutralizing antibody titers against the patient's own virus closely paralled those against the homologous prototype virus. When differences did occur, they were in favor of higher antibody titers against the patient's own virus.Serums from 10 patients had antibodies against more than one prototype virus. With the exception of only two patients, antibodies against one of the prototype viruses were present far in excess of the others. Possible explanations for the heterotypic antibodies are discussed.Neutralization tests, as performed, appear to be of value in ruling out a diagnosis of poliomyelitis, but not in establishing the diagnosis.

[学科分类] 儿科学