Mumps meningitis: specific and non-specific antibody responses in the central nervous system

Intrathecal production of oligoclonal mumps-specific IgG was demonstrated in nine out of 10 children with mumps meningitis by imprint immunofixation (IIF) of sera and cerebrospinal fluids (CSF) separated by agarose electropheresis and by thin-layer electrofocusing. Four of the patients had intrathecal mumps antibody synthesis demonstrable also by conventional serological tests. Oligoclonal CSF IgG was demonstrable by agarose electrophoresis in four of the patients. A dominance of lambda over k type oligoclonal Ig and mumps antibodies was observed in the CSF of three of these patients. The bulk of the oligoclonal CSF IgG was concluded to represent mumps-specific antibodies on the basis of the IIF as well as virus absorption analysis. Intrathecal production of oligoclonal IgG antibodies to one, two, or three other (measles, rubella, herpes simplex) viruses was demonstrated by IIF in four patients. These antibodies were not associated with the oligoclonal CSF IgG present in three of the patients. It is concluded that a specific intrathecal IgG antibody response is a common feature in children with mumps meningitis. This response sometimes reaches a magnitude that permits detection of oligoclonal IgG in the CSF. In some patients, the specific response appears to be associated with a non-specific activation of cells producing antibodies of other (unrelated) specificity.