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Clinical and Diagnostic Laboratory Immunology, May 2003, p. 388-393, Vol. 10, No. 3
1071-412X/03/$08.00+0 DOI: 10.1128/CDLI.10.3.388-393.2003
Copyright © 2003, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.
Cervicovaginal Neutralizing Antibodies to Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) in Women Seropositive for HSV Types 1 and 2
Francois-Xavier Mbopi-Kéou,1,
Laurent Bélec,2 Julie Dalessio,3,
Jérôme Legoff,2 Gérard Grésenguet,4 Philippe Mayaud,5 David W. G. Brown,1 and Rhoda Ashley Morrow3*
Central Public Health Laboratory, Virus Reference Division, Colindale,1 Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom,5 Laboratoire de Virologie, Unité INSERM U430, and Université Pierre et Marie Curie (Paris VI), Hôpital Broussais, Paris, France,2 Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington 98105,3 Centre National de Référence des Maladies Sexuellement Transmissibles et du SIDA (CNRMST), Bangui, Central African Republic4
Received 23 October 2002/ Returned for modification 17 January 2003/ Accepted 5 March 2003
Antibodies to herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and HSV-2 of the immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgA isotypes were detected in the cervicovaginal secretions (CVS) of 77 HSV-1- and HSV-2-seropositive but clinically asymptomatic African women by type-specific enhanced chemiluminescence Western blotting (ECL-WB). Of the 77 subjects, 34 were HIV negative, shedding HSV-2 DNA in their genital secretions; 20 were HIV positive, shedding HSV-2 DNA; and 23 were HIV negative, not shedding HSV-2 DNA. HSV-specific IgG was detected in CVS of nearly 70% of the women studied. HSV-specific IgA was found in CVS of 50% of the women studied. The distribution of CVS HSV-specific antibodies to each HSV type was highly heterogeneous, with a slight predominance of detectable IgG to HSV-1 (59%) over IgG to HSV-2 (41%), whereas the frequency of detectable IgA to HSV-1 (39%) was similar to that of IgA to HSV-2 (36%). The presence of detectable HSV-specific antibodies was inversely associated with HSV-2 DNA genital asymptomatic shedding but was not affected by HIV seropositivity. In addition, 13 of 77 (17%) CVS samples showed neutralizing activity against HSV-2, as assessed by an HSV-2 in vitro infectivity reduction assay. Neutralizing activity in CVS was associated with the presence of IgG and/or IgA antibodies to HSV-1 and/or to HSV-2 by ECL-WB. Among women whose CVS showed HSV-2-neutralizing activity, the specific activity of HSV-specific neutralizing antibodies was substantially (fivefold) higher in HSV-2 DNA shedders than in nonshedders. In conclusion, HSV-specific antibodies are frequently detected in CVS of asymptomatic African women seropositive for HSV-1 and HSV-2. A subset of these women had functional neutralizing activity against HSV-2 in their CVS. The origin of these antibodies and their role in HSV-2 disease of the female genital tract remain to be determined.
* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Children's Hospital & Regional Medical Center, University of Washington, 4800 Sand Point Way N.E., Box 359300-8G-3, Seattle, WA 98105. Phone: (206) 987-2117. Fax: (206) 987-3885. E-mail: rhoda.morrow{at}seattlechildrens.org.
Present address: Department of Oral Medicine, Eastman Dental Institute for Oral Health Care Science, U.C.L., University of London, United Kingdom.
Present address: 1110 29th Ave., Seattle, WA 98122-5010.
Clinical and Diagnostic Laboratory Immunology, May 2003, p. 388-393, Vol. 10, No. 3
1071-412X/03/$08.00+0 DOI: 10.1128/CDLI.10.3.388-393.2003
Copyright © 2003, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.
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