title: Influenza in swine in Belgium (1969-1986): epizootiologic aspects.
abstract: From 1984 until 1986, influenza isolates were obtained from 59 outbreaks of respiratory tract disease in Belgium. In 21 of the outbreaks, H3N2-influenza virus isolates, related to the human A/Port Chalmers/1/73 strain were obtained. All other isolates were H1N1-influenza virus strains. The prevalence of variants of the human H3N2-influenza virus in the Belgium swine population was determined by examining sow sera which had been collected between 1969 and 1984. The results of this serological study showed that, although a Port Chalmers-like strain was associated with outbreaks of respiratory tract disease in swine only since 1984, such strain was already present in the swine population in 1974, when a low percentage of sow sera (7%) reacted with A/Port Chalmers/1/73. Between 1975 and 1984, antibody against this strain were present in 28-61% of the sera. Furthermore, 3-6% of the sera collected between 1971 and 1980 reacted with the A/Hong Kong/1/68 strain. There were no indications that more recent human H3N2-strains (A/Texas/1/77, A/Bangkok/1/79 and A/Belgium/2/81) circulated in the Belgian swine population.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Haesebrouck
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pensaert
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D001530:Belgium; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000662:veterinary; D006385:Hemagglutination Inhibition Tests; D006801:Humans; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D009439:Neuraminidase / Q000378:metabolism; D009976:Orthomyxoviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D013552:Swine / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D009439:Neuraminidase