Further evidence of the circulation of PMV-4 and influenza viruses with N2-1957 enzyme in the migratory waterfowls

In the years 1980-1984, one paramyxovirus type 4 and 11 influenza viruses were isolated from cloacal swabs collected from migratory waterfowls in Fed. Rep. Germany. One influenza virus of H4N8 subtype was isolated from swabs of commercial ducks collected at an abbatoir. Seven of 10 influenza strains, isolated from mallard ducks and coot were identified as a mixture of 2-3 strains of H1, H4, and H5 subtype; 3 virus strains from the same locality relate antigenically to subtype H4 with enzyme serologically identical with N2--Singapore/57 as demonstrated by means of polyclonal and monoclonal antibody.     

Isolation of avian influenza viruses from two different transhemispheric migratory shorebird species in Australia

Summary. Shorebirds on their southerly migration from Siberia to Australia, may pass through Asian regions currently experiencing outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 influenza. To test for the presence of avian influenza viruses in migratory shorebirds arriving in Australia during spring 2004, 173 cloacal swabs were collected from six species. Ten swabs were positive for influenza A, with H4N8 viruses detected in five red-necked stints and H11N9 viruses detected in five sharp-tailed sandpipers. No H5N1 viruses were detected. All isolated viruses were non-pathogenic in domestic chickens. These results further demonstrate the potential for migratory shorebirds to carry and potentially spread influenza viruses.     

Frozen-section services by telepathology: Experience of 100 cases in the San-in District, Japan

The early experience is reported here of the use of Intra-operative frozen-section service by telepathology using the Integrated Service Digital Network (ISDN), a commercially available system that is being connected between the Department of Pathology of Tottori University and Matsue City Hospital, a distance of 30 km. The transfer rate is currently 64kbit/s. The frozen-section service was conducted for a total of 117 tissue specimens (organs) from 100 patients between August 1993 and May 1995. The average time taken for examination of each specimen of frozen section was 13min, ranging between 2 and 42min. The average number of transmitted Images was 6.2. Six cases necessitated more than 11 transmitted Images to make a diagnosis, while 13 cases could be diagnosed from two images only. Correct and permissible diagnoses were obtained in 109 (93.2%) out of 117 specimens when comparing the telepathology diagnosis with that of direct microscopy. Improper or misdiag-nosis was made for eight cases (specimens), which were misinterpreted as papillary carcinoma in Basedow's disease, adenoma and hyperplasia in two pheochromocytomas, solid-tubular carcinoma in phyilodes tumor, mastopathy in invasive carcinoma, metastatic carcinoma in astrocytoma, follicular lymphoma in reactive hyperplasia, and lymphadenitis in follicular lymphoma. in retrospect, diagnosis of these cases should have been deferred. From the results, it was concluded that the Intraoperatlve frozen-section service by telepathology may be a worthwhile substitute for hospitals with limited accessibility to local pathology service, in spite of pitfalls in some cases. Well prepared, high-quality frozen sections, sufficient verbal communication with surgeons, and a rather conservative attitude on the part of a well-trained pathologist seem to be the essential Ingredients for reaching an accurate decision when using telepathology.     

Antigenic and genetic characterization of three influenza C strains isolated in the Kinki district of Japan in 1982-1983

Three strains of influenza C virus (C/Kyoto/41/82, C/Nara/82, C/Hyogo/1/83) have been isolated from humans in the Kinki district of Japan between February 1982 and December 1983. Oligonucleotide mapping of total vRNA and antigenic analysis with anti-HE monoclonal antibodies have shown previously that they are closely similar to one another but dissimilar to any of the strains isolated in Japan before 1982. In the present study, the nucleotide sequences of the hemagglutinin-esterase (HE) genes of these three strains were determined and compared with those of the previously published strains. The results revealed that the Kinki isolates had a high nucleotide sequence homology (98.4-98.5%) with the virus isolated in 1980 in the United States (C/Mississippi/1/80). Similarity of the Kinki strains to C/Mississippi/1/80 was also confirmed by oligonucleotide mapping of total vRNA and antigenic comparison using a panel of 11 anti-HE monoclonal antibodies. The isolates from Kinki and Mississippi could be distinguished from the previously isolated strains in serological tests with heterogeneous sera, suggesting that they may have possessed epidemiological advantage in Japan around 1982-1983. These observations raise the possibility that the rapid spread of influenza C variant closely related to C/Mississippi/1/80 has occurred in Kinki in 1982-1983 presumably because this imported virus was largely different in antigenicity from the previously prevalent ones.     

Characterization of H5N1 influenza A viruses isolated during the 2003-2004 influenza outbreaks in Japan

In Japan, between the end of December 2003 and March 2004, four outbreaks of acute, highly transmissible and lethal disease occurred in birds in three prefectures separated by 150-450 km, involving three chicken farms and a group of chickens raised as pets. The cause of each outbreak was an H5N1 influenza A virus-the first highly pathogenic virus to be isolated from the outbreaks in Japan since 1925. The H5N1 virus was also isolated from dead crows, apparently infected by contact with virus-contaminated material. These H5N1 viruses were antigenically similar to each other, but could be differentiated from other H5 viruses, including those isolated from Hong Kong in 1997 and 2003, by use of a panel of monoclonal antibodies in hemagglutination inhibition assays. Genetically, the H5N1 viruses in Japan were closely related to each other in all genes and were genetically closely related to a single isolate of genotype V that was isolated in 2003 in the Guandong Province of mainland China (A/chicken/Shantou/4231/2003). The virulence of the index isolate (A/chicken/Yamaguchi/7/2004) was studied in chickens and mice. Chickens intravenously or intranasally inoculated with the isolate died within 1 or 3 days of inoculation, respectively. In mice, although this virus replicated well in the lung without prior adaptation and spread to the brain, the dose lethal to 50% of the mice was 5 x 10(5) 50% egg infectious doses (EID50), which is less pathogenic than the Hong Kong 1997 H5N1 viruses isolated from humans. Our findings indicate that the H5N1 viruses associated with the influenza outbreaks in chickens in Japan were genotypically closely related to an H5N1 virus isolated from chicken in China in 2003 (genotype V), but were different from those prevalent in southeastern Asia in 2003-2004 (i.e., genotype Z) and that these highly pathogenic viruses can be transmitted to crows, which are highly susceptible to these viruses.     

New strain-specific determinants in the hemagglutinins of influenza B viruses isolated in 1983-1984

A comparative study of sensitivity to inhibitors and antigenic composition of hemagglutinins of influenza B virus strains isolated in the epidemic season of 1983-1984 and those circulating in 1940-1981 was carried out. The method of selective adsorption of highly active rabbit and rat sera demonstrated that hemagglutinins of contemporary influenza B viruses had both common cross-reacting determinants with previously circulating variants and qualitatively different, strain-specific ones. Among the variants isolated in 1983-1984, three subgroups of viruses were detected with different strain-specific hemagglutinin determinants.     

Isolation of influenza A viruses with a new antigenic formula from wild birds

Three hemagglutinating agents were isolated from mixed pools of the viscera from black-headed gulls (Larus ridibundus) and robin (Erithacus rubecula) collected in the Byelorussian SSA and the Kaliningrad region of the RSFSR. Typing of the viruses by double immunodiffusion technique revealed antigenic relationships of the viruses with swine hemagglutinin (Hsw1) and human hemagglutinin H0. One of the strains had neuraminidase N2 the other two Nav2. An analysis of the polypeptide composition of the virus showed the molecular weights of the heavy (HA1) and light (HA2) hemagglutinin chains to be similar in both strains (about 50,000 and 25,000 daltons, respectively). The strains had a low content of the light hemagglutinin chain (HA2) which is typical for viruses having Hsw1 hemagglutinin.     

Isolation and characterization of influenza A viruses from wild ducks in northern Japan: appearance of HSW1 antigens in the Japanese duck population.

Twenty-six influenza A viruses were isolated from cloacal and tracheal samples of 235 resident and 396 migratory ducks in Miyagi prefecture, Japan, in 1977--78. Of these, twelve were antigenically related to the avian-origin HSW1 virus, A/duck/Alberta/35/76 (HSW1N1), but their neuraminidase antigens were characterized as Nav2-3, Nav4 or N2. These antigenic configuration have not previously been reported. In addition, one strain in which the neuraminidase antigen was identified as Nav4, was demonstrated to be a mixture of two haemagglutinins, HSW1 and Hav7. Two distinct strains were separated from the mixture and characterized as HSW1Nav4 and Hav7Nav4. The antigenic identification of an additional 13 influenza A viruses revealed the presence of six haemagglutinin subtypes (Hav1, Hav3, Hav4, Hav6, Hav7, and Hav8) and five neuaraminidase subtypes (Nav1, Nav2-3, Nav4, Neq2, and N2) in various combinations. The results suggest that the avian influenza A viruses among feral ducks may be isolated in various combinations of haemagglutinins and neuraminidase subtypes in Japan, and that feral ducks may be the site of genetic recombination occurring as a result of dual infection with different subtypes of influenza A virus.     

Isolation of amantadine-resistant influenza a viruses (H3N2) from patients following administration of amantadine in Japan

In Japan, the use of amantadine for treatment of influenza A virus infection was not accepted until November 1998, although it was widely used for treatment of Parkinsonism. Since then, we have monitored the emergence of amantadine-resistant viruses and isolated two viruses from patients on long-term treatment with amantadine.     

Isolation of two H1N2 influenza viruses from swine in France

Summary Samples collected in 1987 and 1988 in Brittany from influenzainfected swine made it possible to isolate and antigenically characterize two H1N2 recombinant viruses (Sw/France/5027/87 and Sw/France/5550/88). The former virus was cloned and reinoculated to swine to allow reproduction of the disease and reisolation of a strain similar to the original one. The serodiagnostic tests carried out on both the original sera and those from the experimentally infected animals confirmed that the virus was actually type Sw/H1N2.     

Genetic characterization of H1 avian influenza viruses isolated from migratory birds and domestic ducks in Korea

H1 avian influenza viruses (AIVs) isolated from migratory birds and domestic ducks from 2003 to 2007 were analyzed to determine their genetic relationship. Phylogenic analysis with nucleotide sequences of all eight gene segments showed that 13 H1 AIVs from migratory birds and domestic ducks belonged to Eurasian avian lineages and were closely related to each other. Compared with H1 influenza viruses of swine or human origin in Korea, there was no evidence of reassortment among the human, swine, and avian hosts. Our results show that H1 AIVs isolated in Korea from 2003 to 2007 were genetically stable. However, continued surveillance is needed considering the role of migratory birds and domestic duck as a source of AIVs.     

Antigenic determinants of human influenza viruses among the influenza viruses isolated from animals

Comparative studies of the antigenic properties of hemagglutinin (HA) of animal and human viruses revealed both similarities between them and complete differences in the composition of antigenic determinants. Avian influenza viruses A/chicken/Kamchatka/12/71, A/pintail/Primorie/730/76, and A/bat/Alma-Ata/73/77 were completely identical with human strains of influenza virus. Influenza A/horse/Miami/63 contains one antigenic determinant H3.1.HA of A/tern/Turkmenia/18/73 (Hav7) viruses has a peculiar set of antigens. Apart from two antigenic determinants H3.1 and H3.3 inherent in human virus strains, HA of A/tern/Turkmenia/18/73 virus contains an antigenic determinant the population of antibodies to which shows no relation to HA of subtypes Hav2-Hav9.     

Antigenic specificity of the neuraminidases of epidemic strains of influenza A/H3N2 viruses circulating in the USSR 1983-1985

The antigenic properties of neuraminidase of the epidemic strains of 1983-1985 were studied by means of lectin test and thiobarbituric method using polyclonal sera and monoclonal antibody. Populations of the viruses with respect to antigenic relationships of neuraminidase were shown to be heterogeneous. A considerable portion of the strains occurring in 1985 underwent antigenic drift from the reference A/Philippines/2/82 strain. The epidemic novelty of some strains was due to changes in only one supercapsid protein-neuraminidase.