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Enzyme immunoassay system has been developed for measuring the titers of secretory IgA in secretion from the upper respiratory airways (SURA). Russian ingredients are used. The conjugate includes monoclonal antibodies to heavy chains of human secretory IgA. The sensitivity and specificity of the kit was tested with SURA of normal subjects and patients with influenza. The initial level of specific secretory IgA antibodies detected by the kit clearly correlated with defense from natural influenza infection. The protective concentrations of the antibodies corresponded to at least 1:64 dilutions. The titers of serum and secretory antibodies in convalescents after influenza A or B were virtually the same. The level of secretory antibodies dropped sooner than that of serum antibodies.

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The formation of postvaccinal secretory immunity to influenza A and B viruses was studied by a new monoclonal enzyme immunoassay test system for measuring specific secretory IgA in young people vaccinated with live cold-adapted vaccines (LCAV) intranasally and with inactivated commercial centrifuged influenza vaccine (IIV) parenterally, intranasally, and orally. Secretory IgA most intensively accumulated in subjects intranasally vaccinated with LCAV, less so in subjects vaccinated with IIV intranasally and orally, and just negligibly in those vaccinated with IIV parenterally. In vaccinees immunized with LCAV intranasally the intensity of immune secretory response depended on the initial concentrations of specific IgA before vaccination. Intranasal administration of LCAV in the presence of high concentrations of secretory IgA led in some subjects either to a decrease in the incidence of conversions or to a 2-8-fold drop of their initial titers. Parenteral injection of IIV caused the most expressed suppression of the immune response in the secretory immunity system. Use of biological stimulant adaptogen increased 2.2 times the incidence of conversions of secretory IgA in subjects intranasally vaccinated with LCAV.

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Patients with HBsAg-positive hepatitis were screened for antibodies to HDV and HCV. The incidence of anti-HDV was 12.5% in a sample of 265 patients. The values differed appreciably in men and women, patients with chronic and acute hepatitis, narcomaniacs and subjects taking no narcotics. Antibodies to HDV were more incident in anti-HCV-positive than in anti-HCV-negative patients. The age-specific structure of the sampling has been analyzed and the distribution of HDV, HCV, narcomania, and chronic hepatitis markers for age groups has been determined. A high incidence of mixed (double and triple) infections with hepatotropic viruses has been revealed.

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A simple and inexpensive test for mass examination of the functional activity of serum antibodies was developed. The test is based on a kinetic serologic reaction that reflects the time course of changes in antibody titers depending on the time of contact of the tested material with antigen. The curves of serum kinetic titration were processed on a computer by the special programme. As a result, an integral factor, an antibody functional activity index (AFAI) was calculated for each serum sample under study. The titers and AFAI were determined in more than 2,000 healthy persons, patients with influenza A and B, and those immunized with different influenza vaccines. The persons having similar antibody titers were demonstrated to greatly differ in AFAI. The functional activity of antibodies is a more precise marker of protection from influenza than the routine quantitative characteristics of antibodies, i.e. titers. The high baseline AFAI decreased the severity of influenza infection. Live influenza vaccines stimulated the production of antibodies having higher AFAI than inactivated ones. The live influenza strains (candidates for vaccine ones) significantly differed in their ability to stimulate the production of antibodies having a high functional activity.

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The functional activity of serum antibody had been shown previously to reflect the state of resistance to influenza more accurately than antibody concentration. The functional activity of antibodies in the vaccination process was studied. The immune response to influenza antigens was found to be accompanied by an increase in the functional activity of antibodies, the intensity of this increase was the highest in natural influenza infection, moderate after administration of live vaccines and the least after immunization with inactivated preparations. The vaccine strains may differ significantly in their capacity to stimulate antibody with high functional activity. The quantitative parameters of the functional activity of antibody are directly related to the antigen dose and frequency of antigenic stimulation.

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Paired specimens of blood sera, upper respiratory tract secretions, and saliva from healthy, influenza-infected, and live influenza trivaccine-immunized humans were tested in parallel by HI tests and enzyme immunoassay (EIA). The resulting comparative data suggest that determination by EIA of specific secretory IgA in the saliva may be recommended as an independent test for large-scale influenza diagnosis, evaluation of the immune status of people, and trials of influenza vaccines. By immunologic parameters, this method is not inferior to the standard ones. At the same time its advantages include simplicity and readily available large volumes of saliva even from children as well as no necessity to bleed subjects to be examined.

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Indices of the functional activity of specific serum antibodies (IFAA) before and after outbreaks of influenza A (H3N2) and B were determined in 164 subjects of 18-20 years of age from the military communities observed in 1987-1988. The IFAA were calculated on the basis of kinetic HI tests followed by computer processing according to the program developed by the authors. The IFAA were found to indicate the protection of human subjects against influenza, reflecting the state of resistance to influenza more exactly than antibody titres. High initial IFAA correlated with lower severity of influenza infection. The IFAA to the same strain may differ significantly in individual subjects. In patients with influenza the time course of antibody titres did not coincide with dynamic changes in IFAA.

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The spectrum of antibody production against hemagglutinin of all known influenza A virus serotypes after influenza A (H3N2) infection in persons of all age groups (from 1 month to 72 years) was analysed to investigated the regularities of accumulation of antibodies against influenza A viruses gone out of circulation. For the same purpose, a long-term (many years) longitudinal analysis of serum anti-HA antibody levels against "old" influenza A (HSW1N1), A (H0N1), A (H1N1), A (H2N2), and A (H3N2) viruses was carried out in children and adults of various age groups in 6 cities of different geographical regions of the country. Based on the results of the study, the concept of the "original antigenic sin" is analysed critically, and a new original concept on the regularities of antibody genesis against previously prevalent influenza A viruses and the factors affecting this process has been formulated.

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Immunological investigations of the time course of serum anti-HA and anti-NA antibodies against influenza A and B viruses in the female and male population with blood groups 0(I), A(II), B(III), and AB(IV) were carried out for several months. The persons with the blood group AB (IV) were shown to be most sensitive to influenza A and B. They were affected by the epidemic virus earlier and more severely than those with the other blood groups. A special method is proposed for prediction of the etiology of the forthcoming epidemic. A correlation between blood groups and titres of anti-HA but not anti-NA antibodies was observed. The view on the lack of the genetic factor influence on the affliction with influenza and antibody response in persons of different sexes is substantiated.

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M. pneumoniae, used as mitogen, was shown to initiate the synthesis of antibodies to salmonellae in the culture of lymphocytes obtained from healthy donors as actively as lectins and Staphylococcus aureus protein A. In these experiments IgG antibodies were mainly synthesized. The serological study of a group of persons (333 subjects) for 2.5 years revealed that seroconversion to M. pneumoniae and simultaneously to viruses occurred in 78% of cases. In more than a half of the cases a rise in the titers of antibodies to M. pneumoniae and simultaneously to salmonellae was found to occur with no cases of salmonellosis being registered. The results of this study make it possible to come to the conclusion that M. pneumoniae is a polyclonal activator of antibody-producing cells in vitro and, probably, in vivo.

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