Influenza A(H7N9) Virus Antibody Responses in Survivors 1 Year after Infection, China, 2017

• Published in: Emerging infectious diseases Vol. 24; no. 4; pp. 663 - 672
• Main Authors: Ma, Mai-Juan, Liu, Cheng, Wu, Meng-Na, Zhao, Teng, Wang, Guo-Lin, Yang, Yang, Gu, Hong-Jing, Cui, Peng-Wei, Pang, Yuan-Yuan, Tan, Ya-Yun, Hang, Hui, Lin, Bao, Qin, Jiang-Chun, Fang, Li-Qun, Cao, Wu-Chun, Cheng, Li-Ling
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States U.S. National Center for Infectious Diseases 01.04.2018; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Subjects: Aged; Animals; Antibodies; Antibodies, Viral - blood; Antibodies, Viral - immunology; antibody response; Avian influenza; cohort; Development and progression; Female; H7N9 viruses; Health aspects; History, 21st Century; Hospitalization; Humans; Infection; Influenza A Virus, H7N9 Subtype - classification; Influenza A Virus, H7N9 Subtype - immunology; Influenza, Human - epidemiology; Influenza, Human - history; Influenza, Human - immunology; Influenza, Human - virology; Male; Mice; Middle Aged; persistence; Serologic Tests; serological; Survivors; Viral antibodies; H7N9 viruses; influenza; viruses; antibody response; serological; survivors; China; cohort; persistence; influenza A(H7N9)
• ISSN: 1080-6040; 1080-6059
• DOI: 10.3201/eid2404.171995

Avian influenza A(H7N9) virus has caused 5 epidemic waves in China since its emergence in 2013. We investigated the dynamic changes of antibody response to this virus over 1 year postinfection in 25 patients in Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province, China, who had laboratory-confirmed infections during the fifth epidemic wave, October 1, 2016-February 14, 2017. Most survivors had relatively robust antibody responses that decreased but remained detectable at 1 year. Antibody response was variable; several survivors had low or undetectable antibody titers. Hemagglutination inhibition titer was >1:40 for <40% of the survivors. Measured in vitro in infected mice, hemagglutination inhibition titer predicted serum protective ability. Our findings provide a helpful serologic guideline for identifying subclinical infections and for developing effective vaccines and therapeutics to counter H7N9 virus infections.