The antibody response following hepatitis A infection

A specific IgM response to hepatitis A virus was detected in sera from patients suffering acute hepatitis A infection. The presence of virus-specific IgM in 19S components of acute and early convalescent phase sera was detected by immune electron microscopy and solid-phase radioimmunoassay. The presence of virus-specific IgM in whole serum specimens was demonstrated by indirect immunoferritin labeling. Following acute infection, however, the major immunoglobulin response appears to be IgG, since titers of specific 7S and whole serum antibody were very similar.