It has been found that mice infected with murine rotavirus can be protected against subsequent murine
rotavirus infection for up to 2 months. It was also reported that protection against
rotavirus infection in adult mice correlated with serum and stool rotavirus
IgA titers. The present study was conducted to determine the duration of rotavirus antibody production and protection against
rotavirus infection in this mouse model and its possible correlation with rotavirus antibody titers. It was found that protection of mice against subsequent
infection following a single oral immunization with the murine rotavirus strain
EDIM was 100% effective for at least 14 months, most of the lifetime of a mouse. During this period, serum and stool rotavirus antibody titers which included serum
IgA,
IgG, and
neutralizing antibody to
EDIM, as well as stool
IgA, remained elevated. Of particular note, stool rotavirus
IgA titers gradually decreased to levels that were approximately 10% of their peak at 1 month after
infection but did not decrease further, while serum rotavirus
IgG titers continuously increased during the 14 months of the study. Serum rotavirus
IgA titers varied from month to month but overall remained relatively constant throughout the 14-month period. Thus, both serum and stool rotavirus antibody was retained at substantial levels long after a single rotavirus immunization in the absence of reexposure, and mice remained protected against
reinfection.