Abstract
Summary
Six strains of influenza A virus were isolated in New York during the 1957 pandemic. Close antigenic relationship was found among these strains and 2 Far East isolates. and slight antigenic relationship to older prototype strains was also demonstrated. One of the local isolates, RI/5/57, was found to be a very sensitive indicator of the presence of hemagglutination-inhibiting and neutralizing antibodies against the 1957 strains of influenza A virus in human serum. Antibodies to the RI/5/57 strain were demonstrated in patients of various ages obtained from 1940 to 1957. The sensitivity of the 6 New York strains to non-specific inhibitors of hemagglutination varied from apparent insensitivity in 3 strains to extreme sensitivity in 2.
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