The effect of timing of sample collection on the detection of measles-specific IgM in serum and oral fluid samples after primary measles vaccination

• Published in: Epidemiology and infection Vol. 123; no. 3; pp. 451 - 455
• Main Authors: HELFAND, R. F., KEBEDE, S., MERCADER, S., GARY, H. E., BEYENE, H., BELLINI, W. J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge Cambridge University Press 01-12-1999
• Subjects: Antibodies; Bacteriology; Biological and medical sciences; Ethiopia; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Immunoenzyme Techniques; Immunoglobulin M - analysis; Infant; Infections; Male; Measles; Measles - immunology; Measles - prevention & control; Measles Vaccine - immunology; Measles virus; Microbiology; Optical density; Outliers; Preventive medicine; Sensitivity and Specificity; Specimen Handling; Specimens; Surveillance; Time Factors; Vaccination; Vaccines, antisera, therapeutical immunoglobulins and monoclonal antibodies; Human; Immune response; Antibody; Vaccination; Serology; IgM; Infection; Oral cavity; Local immunity; Follow up study; Viral disease; Measles; Serum; Detection; Humoral immunity
• ISSN: 0950-2688; 1469-4409
• DOI: 10.1017/S0950268899002988

This study compares the timing of the rise and decline of measles-specific IgM in serum
samples and in oral fluid samples. Two hundred and eighty 9-month-old infants presenting for
routine measles vaccination in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, were enrolled. Paired serum and oral
fluid samples were collected before and 1, 2, 3 or 4 weeks after measles vaccination. Samples
were tested by using a modified antibody-capture enzyme immunoassay. For the 321 IgM-negative pre- and post-vaccination serum samples, 317 (99%) of their corresponding oral fluid
samples were IgM-negative. Among the 130 IgM-positive serum samples, 75% of their paired
oral fluid samples were IgM-positive, with the percentage rising to 87% after oral fluid samples
collected [ges ]3·5 weeks after vaccination were excluded. Among the post-vaccination serum
samples, the percent IgM-positive peaked in week 3 and declined to 79% in week 4. For post-vaccination oral fluid samples, the percent IgM-positive peaked in weeks 2 and 3, and then
declined to 43% in week 4. This modified antibody-capture enzyme immunoassay appears to
detect vaccine-induced measles-specific IgM in the first 3 weeks after vaccination.