key: cord-0008178-pm9v9pkk
authors: Almansa, Raquel; Justel, Mar; Socias, Lorenzo; Ramírez, Paula; Andaluz-Ojeda, David; Estella, Angel; Loza, Ana; Blanco, Jesús; Berezo, Jose Ángel; Rosich, Sara; Cillòniz, Catia; Torres, Antoni; de Lejarazu, Raul Ortiz; Martin-Loeches, Ignacio; Bermejo-Martin, Jesus F.
title: IgA level in plasma as a differential factor for influenza infection in severe viral pneumonia
date: 2013-12-12
journal: J Clin Virol
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcv.2013.12.003
sha: 841861b5c6ff22aadc18032f2e5fa4110bad4628
doc_id: 8178
cord_uid: pm9v9pkk

nan

We have recently reported the protective role of IgM in a cohort of patients with severe disease caused by influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus [1] . Here we compared levels of 17 cytokines and 7 immunoglobulin isotypes in the plasma of these patients against those of a cohort of patients suffering from pneumonia caused by other viruses. Cytokines and immunoglobulins were measured by using Biorad multiplex kits. Respiratory samples were screened for the presence of viruses by using the A(H1N1)pdm09 Detection Set (Roche ® ), the Respiratory Viral Panel-XTAG RVP (Abott ® ) or culturing them on Hep2/Vero/MDCK-SIAT cells. In the non-influenza group (n = 20), the viral aetiology was as follows: Entero/Rhinovirus (n = 7), Metapneumovirus (n = 6), Respiratory Syncytial Virus (n = 5), Coronavirus NL63 (n = 1) and Herpesvirus (n = 1). Patients with influenza (n = 38) were younger (median (yrs), (Fig. 1) .

Local IgA in the respiratory mucosa has been shown to play an important protective role in the infection caused by respiratory viruses [3, 4] . However the role-played by systemic IgA in this context is not well known. This work evidences for the first time the existence of lower levels of plasma IgA in patients with viral pneumonia caused by influenza. The potential of IgA in determining viral aetiology along with its participation in the pathogenic events in this disease merits further investigation.

The authors acknowledge the support of "Instituto de Salud Carlos III -Fondo de Investigaciones Sanitarias, FIS" and Health Council, Junta de Castilla y León (JCYL-IECSCYL-SACYL): Programa de Investigación Comisionada en Gripe, GR09/0021, GR09/0022. 

IgM levels in plasma predict outcome in severe pandemic influenza

Direct association between pharyngeal viral secretion and host cytokine response in severe pandemic influenza

Mucosal IgA responses in influenza virus infections; thoughts for vaccine design

Antibody-mediated protection against respiratory viral infection

The authors thank Lucia Rico and Verónica Iglesias for their support with laboratory work and David Banner for language reviewing of the manuscript. 

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Approval of the study protocol for both the scientific and the ethical aspects was obtained from the Scientific Committee for Clinical Research of our hospital. The study has been performed in accordance with the ethical standards laid down in the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki and its later amendments.