A survey of reovirus antibodies in sera of urban children.

The incidence of antibodies to reovirus types 1, 2 and 3 was estimated on sera from 512 children between the ages of 1 month and 10 years. Delineation of age groups at intervals of one year allowed the inclusion of 25 to 30 sera per group. The decline of maternal antibody to types 2 and 3 was demonstrated but the pattern of type 1 suggested an epidemic of infantile infection by that virus during the time the sera were collected. The initial gradual rise in incidence of antibodies changed to a more rapid rise during early school years which, however, settled to a more moderate increase as the children approached 10 years of age. At that time, the incidence of antibodies for all three types of reovirus was between 50 and 60%.