To determine whether salivary antibody is a reliable indicator of rotavirus infection and mucosal rotavirus antibody concentrations, salivary rotavirus antibody titers were determined as a function of time following inoculation of 24 adult volunteers with a virulent strain of human rotavirus (CJN). Twenty of the subjects became infected and all produced detectable amounts of salivary rotavirus IgA. These antibody concentrations remained undetectable in the four uninfected subjects. Rises of greater than or equal to fourfold in either salivary rotavirus IgA or neutralizing antibody to the challenge virus were detected in all but two subjects. The titers of both antibodies were maximal at 13 days after inoculation and decreased significantly (p less than .02) by 27 days, a result very similar to that previously found with stool rotavirus IgA in CJN-infected subjects. These results suggest that salivary rotavirus antibody titers are an accurate reflection of mucosal rotavirus antibody and a possible surrogate for intestinal rotavirus antibody.