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- Title
Influenza B virus in seals.
- Authors
Osterhaus, A D; Rimmelzwaan, G F; Martina, B E; Bestebroer, T M; Fouchier, R A
- Abstract
Influenza B virus is a human pathogen whose origin and possible reservoir in nature are not known. An influenza B virus was isolated from a naturally infected harbor seal (Phoca vitulina) and was found to be infectious to seal kidney cells in vitro. Sequence analyses and serology indicated that influenza virus B/Seal/Netherlands/1/99 is closely related to strains that circulated in humans 4 to 5 years earlier. Retrospective analyses of sera collected from 971 seals showed a prevalence of antibodies to influenza B virus in 2% of the animals after 1995 and in none before 1995. This animal reservoir, harboring influenza B viruses that have circulated in the past, may pose a direct threat to humans.
- Publication
Science (New York, N.Y.), 2000, Vol 288, Issue 5468, p1051
- ISSN
0036-8075
- Publication type
Journal Article
- DOI
10.1126/science.288.5468.1051