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Science 12 May 2000:
Vol. 288. no. 5468, pp. 1051 - 1053
DOI: 10.1126/science.288.5468.1051
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Reports

Influenza B Virus in Seals

A. D. M. E. Osterhaus, 12* G. F. Rimmelzwaan, 1 B. E. E. Martina, 2 T. M. Bestebroer, 1 R. A. M. Fouchier 1

Influenza B virus is a human pathogen whose origin and possible reservoir in nature are not known. An influenza B virus was isolated from a naturally infected harbor seal (Phoca vitulina) and was found to be infectious to seal kidney cells in vitro. Sequence analyses and serology indicated that influenza virus B/Seal/Netherlands/1/99 is closely related to strains that circulated in humans 4 to 5 years earlier. Retrospective analyses of sera collected from 971 seals showed a prevalence of antibodies to influenza B virus in 2% of the animals after 1995 and in none before 1995. This animal reservoir, harboring influenza B viruses that have circulated in the past, may pose a direct threat to humans.

1 National Influenza Center, Department of Virology, Erasmus University, Doctor Molewaterplein 50, 3015 GE Rotterdam, Netherlands.
2 Seal Rehabilitation and Research Center, Hoofdstraat 94a, 9968 AG Pieterburen, Netherlands.
*   To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: osterhaus{at}viro.fgg.eur.nl

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