Subgroup characteristics of respiratory syncytial virus strains recovered from children with two consecutive infections.

Respiratory syncytial virus strains from 13 children who had repeat infections at least 1 year apart were identified as either subgroup A or subgroup B according to reaction patterns with several monoclonal antibodies directed against the large surface glycoprotein (G), fusion protein (F), nucleoprotein (NP), and matrix protein (M). The virus strains were characterized by enzyme immunoassay, polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and immunofluorescence procedures. During the first infection, 10 children had subgroup A strains and 3 had subgroup B strains. Of the 10 children with subgroup A strains during their first infection, 6 had subgroup B and 4 had subgroup A strains during the second infection. Of the three children with subgroup B strains during their first infection, one had subgroup A and two had subgroup B strains during their second infection. No child experienced unusually severe respiratory tract illnesses during second infections with respiratory syncytial virus. Fourfold or greater rises in serum antibody as determined by enzyme immunoassay were as common after the first infection as after the second infection among the seven children tested. Thus, second infections with strains of either subgroup of respiratory syncytial virus did not potentiate respiratory illness, and infection with subgroup A strains of respiratory syncytial virus provided some protection from a second infection with the homologous, but not the heterologous, subgroup of the virus.