Coronavirus antibody titres in sera of healthy adults and experimentally infected volunteers

Abstract

SUMMARYSix coronaviruses isolated in the U.S.A. have been inoculated into volunteers and all produced colds. Between 10 and 20 % of infected volunteers developed heterologous antibody responses after these and other experimental infections with coronaviruses. The haemagglutination-inhibition test with the OC43 virus strain was found to detect antibody rises after infection with a variety of strains.Studies on normal adult sera taken between 1965 and 1970 revealed a high frequency of neutralizing antibody to one strain (229E) and a frequency of HI antibody to strain OC43 which fluctuated from year to year. Complement-fixing antibodies to these two viruses were also found, revealing an apparent increase in the activity of coronaviruses in the general population of the U.K., during the winter of 1968-9.

Seroepidemiologic Survey of Coronavirus (Strain 229e) Infections in a Population of Children

“…Of 168 persons with sero-response in the population, 59 (35 per cent) had preexisting antibody titers of 10 or greater in two consecutive serum specimens collected before the rise in antibody titer (table 3). Preexisting antibody was less frequent in the younger age group (5-9) than in the older age group (15)(16)(17)(18)(19). Almost a third of the 10-to 14-year-old group, which had the highest number of sero-responses, had preexisting antibody.…”

Evidence of a Novel Human Coronavirus That Is Associated with Respiratory Tract Disease in Infants and Young Children

“…McIntosh et al demonstrated that 3 of the 6 OC strains isolated from adults with colds appeared to be serologically unrelated, or at least distantly related, to HCoV-OC43 and HCoV-229E [17]. Experimental infection of human volunteers with these 6 OC strains confirmed this finding [18]. It was, therefore, unlikely that HCoV-229E and HCoV-OC43 were the only HCoVs.…”

Prevalence of human coronavirus antibody in the population of southern iraq

“…Recent reports have suggested that these viruses may be associated with more severe diseases, and in particular gastroenteritis, but as yet there is no clear evidence to support this [Macnaughton and Davies, 19811. Several reports have analyzed the extent of infections in various populations in America and Europe by estimates of HCV antibodies in sera from patients and volunteers [Bradburne and Somerset, 1972;Candeias et al, 1970;Cavallaro and Monto, 1970;Hamre and Beem, 1972;Hendley et al, 1972;Hovi et al, 1979; Kaye et al, 1971;McIntosh et al, 1970;Zakstelskaya et al, 19721. A number of assays have been used, including neutralization, complement fixation, hemagglutination inhibition, and radioimmunoassay.…”