Association between secretor status and respiratory viral illness

• Published in: BMJ 1991-10, Vol.303 (6806), p.815-818
• Main Authors: Raza, M W, Blackwell, C C, Molyneaux, P, James, V S, Ogilvie, M M, Inglis, J M, Weir, D M
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Antibodies; Antigens; Biological and medical sciences; Blood group antigens; Blood grouping; Blood groups; Child; Child, Preschool; Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay; Human viral diseases; Humans; Infant; Infectious diseases; Isoantigens - analysis; Lewis Blood-Group System - genetics; Lewis Blood-Group System - immunology; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Phenotypes; Respiratory Tract Infections - blood; Respiratory Tract Infections - immunology; Saliva; Saliva - chemistry; Saliva - immunology; Specimens; Viral diseases; Viral diseases of the respiratory system and ent viral diseases; Virus Diseases - blood; Virus Diseases - immunology; Viruses
• ISSN: 0959-8138; 0959-8146; 1468-5833; 1756-1833
• DOI: 10.1136/bmj.303.6806.815

OBJECTIVE--To determine whether non-secretion of blood group antigens is associated with respiratory virus diseases. DESIGN--Study of secretor status in patients with respiratory virus diseases determined by an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) developed to identify Lewis (Le) blood group antigen phenotypes (Le(a) non-secretor; Le(b) secretor). SUBJECTS--Patients aged 1 month to 90 years in hospital with respiratory virus diseases (584 nasal specimens). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES--Criteria for validation of ELISA (congruence between results on ELISA testing of 1155 saliva samples from a previous study and previously established results on haemagglutination inhibition (HAI) testing, proportions of Le(a), Le(b), and Le- phenotypes in 872 samples of nasal washings from a previous study compared with the normal population). Secretor status of patients determined by ELISA and viruses isolated. RESULTS--Agreement between HAI and ELISA for 1155 saliva samples was 97%. Lewis antigens were detected by ELISA in 854 (97.9%) of nasal washings (Le(a) 233 (26.7%), Le(b) 621 (71.2%), and Le- 18 (2.1%)) in proportions predicted for a northern European population. Secretors were significantly overrepresented among patients from whom influenza viruses A and B (55/64, 86%; p less than 0.025), rhinoviruses (63/72, 88%; p less than 0.01), respiratory syncytial virus (97/109, 89%; p less than 0.0005), and echoviruses (44/44, p less than 0.0005) had been isolated compared with the distribution of secretors in the local population. CONCLUSION--Secretion of blood group antigens is associated with respiratory virus diseases.