Homotypic and Heterotypic Epitope-Specific Antibody Responses in Adult and Infant Rotavirus Vaccinees: Implications for Vaccine Development

Sera from infants and adults who received a live, attenuated monovalent rotavirus vaccine of serotype 1, 2, 3, or 4 VP7 specificity and rhesus rotavirus (RRV) VP4 specificity were analyzed for serotype-specific antibody responses byan epitope blocking immunoassay (EBA) and by neutralization. Although the assays correlated well, responses to the individual neutralization proteins or to different defined antigenic sites on the same protein could be distinguished only by EBA. In general, adult vaccinees exhibited both a homotypic response to the immunizing strain and a heterotypic response to other serotypes. Infant vaccinees