Antibodies against the conserved stalk domain of the hemagglutinin are currently being discussed as promising therapeutic tools against influenza virus infections. Because of the conservation of the stalk domain these antibodies are able to broadly neutralize a wide spectrum of influenza virus strains and subtypes. Broadly protective vaccine candidates based on the epitopes of these antibodies,...

By means of a continuous canine kidney cell line (MDCK), influenza viruses were rapidly isolated from specimens collected from patients with respiratory disease. The cell line proved more sensitive than either eggs or rhesus monkey cells for currently circulating influenza A and B strains. Influenza viruses caused a distinct cytopathology within 5 days of inoculation if trypsin-ethylenediamine-...

When gene sequences from the influenza virus that caused the 1918 pandemic were first compared with those of related viruses, they yielded few clues about its origins and virulence. Our reanalysis indicates that the hemagglutinin gene, a key virulence determinant, originated by recombination. The "globular domain" of the 1918 hemagglutinin protein was encoded by a part of a gene derived from a ...

The 2009 H1N1 swine flu is the first influenza pandemic in decades. The crystal structure of the hemagglutinin from the A/California/04/2009 H1N1 virus shows that its antigenic structure, particularly within the Sa antigenic site, is extremely similar to those of human H1N1 viruses circulating early in the 20th century. The cocrystal structure of the 1918 hemagglutinin with 2D1, an antibody fro...

Antiviral activity on Newcastle disease virus was examined with some respiration inhibitors including ascochlorin, rotenone, antimycin A(3), piericidin A, dicoumarol, 2, 4-dinitrophenol, pentachlorophenol, and fatty acids. Of the chemicals tested, ascochlorin and rotenone showed significant inhibitory effect on the viral growth in cultured cells as determined by the plate and tube assay methods...

The nucleotide sequence of a cloned cDNA copy of the mRNA coding for the hemagglutinin-neuraminidase of the paramyxovirus SV5 was determined. There was a single large open reading frame on the mRNA which encoded a protein of 565 amino acids with a molecular weight of 62,134. The deduced amino acid sequence indicated that the only major hydrophobic region in the protein sufficiently long to anch...

The antigenicity of two parainfluenza=3 virus strains, a "neuraminidasestrong" and a "neuraminidase-weak," was compared. For both strains the amount of hemagglutinin units was equal. The antibody responses to neuraminidase and hemagglutinin were measured on samples of serum and nasal secretion and were found to be similar, irrespective of the strain used for immunization. Anti-neuraminidase act...

Highly pathogenic H5N1 virus can infect a variety of animals and continually poses a threat to animal and human health. Here, phylogenetic analysis of the hemagglutinin and neuraminidase genes indicated that the hemagglutinin gene of all human isolates, although very similar to each other, fell within different clades corresponding to antigenically distinguishable variants. Likewise, the N1 neu...

Twenty-five strains of Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis isolated from different sources were examined for hemagglutinating activity. Bacteria cultured in different media induced hemagglutination of human erythrocytes, but no reaction was observed with erythrocytes from other animal species. The hemagglutinating expression activity was better for cultures on CFA agar at 37oC than other co...

Influenza A viruses (IAV) are a major burden for human health and thus the topic of intense research efforts. The entry IAV into host cells is particular interest as early infection steps ideal target intervention strategies. Here, we review recent key findings in field entry. Specifically, discuss identification novel receptors, emerging role viral neuraminidase entry, well progress from struc...