Antibody responses to influenza A(H1N1)pdm infection

Vaccine. 2020 Jun 2;38(27):4221-4225. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2020.04.069. Epub 2020 May 7.

Abstract

We investigated humoral immune response to influenza A(H1N1)pdm infection and found 32 (22%) of the infected individuals identified by PCR failed to produce a ≥ 4-fold hemagglutinin inhibition assay (HAI) response; a subset of 18 (56%) produced an alternate antibody response (against full-length HA, HA stalk, or neuraminidase). These individuals had lower pre-existing HAI antibody titers and showed a pattern of milder illness. An additional subset of 14 (44%) did not produce an alternate antibody response, had higher pre-existing antibody titers against full-length & stalk HA, and were less sick. These findings demonstrate that some individuals mount an alternate antibody response to influenza infection. In order to design more broadly protective influenza vaccines it may be useful to target these alternate sites. These findings support that there are influenza cases currently being missed by solely implementing HAI assays, resulting in an underestimation of the global burden of influenza infection.

Keywords: Antibodies; Hemagglutination inhibition; Influenza; Neuraminidase.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Antibodies, Viral
  • Antibody Formation
  • Hemagglutination Inhibition Tests
  • Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus
  • Humans
  • Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype*
  • Influenza Vaccines*
  • Influenza, Human*

Substances

  • Antibodies, Viral
  • Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus
  • Influenza Vaccines