Origin of the hemagglutinin on A/Equine/Johannesburg/86 (H3N8): the first known equine influenza outbreak in South Africa.
A severe influenza outbreak occurred in horses in South Africa in 1986. The causative agent was identified as an influenza virus [A/Equine/Johannesburg/86 (H3N8)]. Antigenic analyses of the hemagglutinin (HA) with ferret antisera and monoclonal antibodies showed that the Eq/Johannesburg/86 virus is similar to recent equine H3 viruses. The nucleotide sequence analysis on the HA genes of Eq/Johannesburg/86 and other equine H3 influenza viruses, together with the epidemiological data, clearly demonstrated that the Eq/Johannesburg/86 virus was derived from a virus that had been circulating in horses in the United States in 1986-87. The epidemiological information suggests that the unusually severe influenza outbreak in South Africa may be due to the lack of immunity to these viruses in the horse population.
Kawaoka
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Department of Virology and Molecular Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee.
Webster
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RG
D000596:Amino Acids / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000662:veterinary*; D006385:Hemagglutination Inhibition Tests / Q000662:veterinary; D006389:Hemagglutinins, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D006736:Horses; D053123:Influenza A Virus, H3N8 Subtype; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000276:immunology; D009976:Orthomyxoviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary*; D013019:South Africa
D000596:Amino Acids; D006389:Hemagglutinins, Viral