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Biomedical subjects

R G Webster

Publications and source records attributed to R G Webster.

At least 415 records · Page 23Linked to original sources
PubMed1974

A new avian influenza virus from feral birds in the USSR: recombination in nature?

Six avian influenza A viruses isolated in the USSR were characterized antigenically by using specific antisera to the isolated surface subunits of the known reference strains. Three of the viruses, all isolated from the same region, were characterized as A/duck/Ukraine/63 (Hav7 Neq2), and a virus isolated from a crow was of the Hong Kong/68 (H3 N2) type. The remaining two viruses were novel in that they possessed Hav7 Nav2 antigens, a combination that has not previously been reported. It is suggested that these new influenza viruses might have arisen by recombination in nature between the A/duck/Ukraine/63 (Hav7 Neq2) and A/tern/So. Africa/61 (Hav5 Nav2) strains of avian influenza viruses.

Animals↗
PubMed1973

Influenzavirus neuraminidase and neuraminidase-inhibition test procedures.

The adequate characterization of type A influenzaviruses requires the identification not only of the haemagglutinin but also of the neuraminidase. The neuraminidase-inhibition test, as performed in the two WHO international reference centres for influenza, is described and its use in other laboratories-particularly those collaborating in the WHO programme-is recommended.

Antigens, Viral↗
PubMed1973

Characterization and ecology of a type A influenzavirus isolated from a sheawater.

An influenzavirus isolated from a shearwater bird nesting on Tryon Island on the Australian Great Barrier Reef in 1971 has been more extensively characterized. Haemagglutinin subunits were isolated from the shearwater virus and from the antigenically related avian influenzaviruses A/turkey/Mass./65 (Hav6N2) and A/duck/Penn./69 (Hav6N1). Maps of the tryptic peptides from the heavy polypeptides (HA1) of the haemagglutinin subunits of the three viruses showed a number of differences, but peptide maps of the light polypeptides (HA2) were almost identical, suggesting that these had almost the same amino acid sequence. Extensive tests confirmed that the neuraminidase of the shearwater virus was not related antigenically to any known neuraminidase. The sera collected from pelagic birds nesting on islands in the Capricorn-Bunker group in 1970 were devoid of any antibodies to the shearwater virus, while a high proportion of the sera collected from birds on the same islands in 1972 (one year after the isolation of the shearwater virus) had antibodies to the haemagglutinin and neuraminidase of the shearwater virus, some to a high titre. Thus, the shearwater virus appeared to have only recently been introduced into the area from where it was isolated.

Animals↗