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Antibody against viruses in maternal and cord sera: non-specific inhibitors are found to higher titre on the maternal side of the circulation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 October 2009

P. D. Griffiths
Affiliation:
Virology Department, St Bartholomew's Hospital, West Smithfield, London EC1A 7BE
D. Girdhar
Affiliation:
Virology Department, St Bartholomew's Hospital, West Smithfield, London EC1A 7BE
S. Fisher-Hoch
Affiliation:
Virology Department, St Bartholomew's Hospital, West Smithfield, London EC1A 7BE Special Pathogens Reference Laboratory, PHLS Centre for Applied Microbiology and Research, Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP4 0JG
M. W. Race
Affiliation:
Virology Department, St Bartholomew's Hospital, West Smithfield, London EC1A 7BE Special Pathogens Reference Laboratory, PHLS Centre for Applied Microbiology and Research, Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP4 0JG
R. B. Heath
Affiliation:
Virology Department, St Bartholomew's Hospital, West Smithfield, London EC1A 7BE
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Pregnancies were identified in which maternal IgG antibodies against rubella virus were not detectable by single radial haemolysis. Twenty paired maternal/cord sera were then tested for haemagglutination-inhibiting (HI) activity against rubella virus without kaolin pretreatment of the sera. In the absence of specific antibody, the HI activity observed could thus be ascribed to the effect of non-specific inhibitors. The HI activity in maternal sera was significantly (P < 0·001) higher than that in cord sera. The 20 pairs of sera were similarly tested against a bunyavirus, an alphavirus and a flavivirus, both with and without kaolin pretreatment. The results showed non-specific inhibitors were found to higher titre in maternal sera, with the difference being statistically significant (P < 0·001) for each of the three viruses.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1984

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