Extent of Antigenic Variation of A2 Influenza Viruses from Prototype Strains

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Abstract
Summary: Application of the cell culture neutralization (N) test demonstrates that representative strains of the 1963 A2 variant are antigenically homogeneous. Reaction patterns of individual antisera clearly show the differences between the 1957 strain and the current family of A2 viruses. None of these differences could be demonstrated by hemagglutination-inhibiting (HI) test alone. The analysis of the patterns of incidence of N antibody in recruit populations lends laboratory support to the epidemiologic descriptions of the progression of the 1963 epidemic across the United States. Despite the presence of considerable N antibody to both the 1957 and 1963 strains of virus, 47 cases of A2 virus infection were confirmed in 1963. The tenuous correlation between humoral antibody to influenza and immunity has been discussed.