Antibody-dependent enhancement of infection and the pathogenesis of viral disease

DM Morens - Clinical Infectious Diseases, 1994 - academic.oup.com
DM Morens
Clinical Infectious Diseases, 1994academic.oup.com
Antibody-dependent enhancement of infection (ADE) is an in vitro serological phenomenon—
or a group of phenomena—in which viral infection of susceptible cells is modified by the
addition of virus-reactive antibody. Evidence suggests that ADE reflects immunologie
processes that occur in vivo. Various severe and even fatal viral conditions of humans and
animals, including dengue shock syndrome, the “early-death phenomenon” in experimental
infections of immune animals, and other vaccine-and immunoglobulin-modified conditions …
Abstract
Antibody-dependent enhancement of infection (ADE) is an in vitro serological phenomenon —or a group of phenomena—in which viral infection of susceptible cells is modified by the addition of virus-reactive antibody. Evidence suggests that ADE reflects immunologie processes that occur in vivo. Various severe and even fatal viral conditions of humans and animals, including dengue shock syndrome, the “early-death phenomenon” in experimental infections of immune animals, and other vaccine- and immunoglobulin-modified conditions, have been attributed to ADE by some researchers. ADE has caused great concern in relation to the development of vaccines against dengue virus and human immunodeficiency virus. More data are urgently needed on the mechanisms and determinants of ADE and on its alleged role in disease pathogenesis and in vaccine-associated phenomena.
Oxford University Press