Background: The development of an in vitro cultivation system for human noroviruses allows the measurement of neutralizing antibody levels.
Methods: Serum neutralizing antibody levels were determined using a GII.4/Sydney/2012-like virus in human intestinal enteroids in samples collected before and 4 weeks after administration of an investigational norovirus vaccine and were compared with those measured in histo-blood group antigen (HBGA)-blocking assays.
Results: Neutralizing antibody seroresponses were observed in 71% of 24 vaccinated adults, and antibody levels were highly correlated (r = 0.82, P < .001) with those measured by HBGA blocking.
Conclusions: HBGA-blocking antibodies are a surrogate for neutralization in human noroviruses.
Clinical trials registration: NCT02475278.
Keywords: human norovirus; antibody; histo-blood group antigen; human intestinal enteroids; immunogenicity; neutralization; vaccine.
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