Correlates of Rotavirus Vaccine Shedding and Seroconversion in a U.S. Cohort of Healthy Infants

Abstract Background Rotavirus is a leading cause of severe pediatric gastroenteritis; two highly effective vaccines are used in the US. We aimed to identify correlates of immune response to rotavirus vaccination in a US cohort. Methods PREVAIL is a birth cohort of 245 mother-child pairs enrolled 2017–2018 and followed for 2 years. Infant stool samples and symptom information were collected weekly. Shedding was defined as RT-PCR detection of rotavirus vaccine virus in stools collected 4–28 days after dose one. Seroconversion was defined as a threefold rise in IgA between the six-week and six-month blood draws. Correlates were analyzed using generalized estimating equations and logistic regression. Results Pre-vaccination IgG (OR=0.84, 95% CI [0.75–0.94] per 100-unit increase) was negatively associated with shedding. Shedding was also less likely among infants with a single-nucleotide polymorphism inactivating FUT2 antigen secretion (“non-secretors”) with non-secretor mothers, versus all other combinations (OR 0.37 [0.16–0.83]). Of 141 infants with data, 105 (74%) seroconverted; 78 (77%) had shed vaccine virus following dose one. Pre-vaccination IgG and secretor status were significantly associated with seroconversion. Neither shedding nor seroconversion significantly differed by vaccine product. Discussion In this US cohort, pre-vaccination IgG and maternal and infant secretor status were associated with rotavirus vaccine response.