[Contribution to the antigenic study of influenza viruses in animals. I.--Neuraminidase of the equine influenza viruses (author's transl)].

From the Revised Nomenclature of WHO, the fowl influenza virus A/Duck/Ukraine/63 (Hav7 Neq2) has the same neuraminidase as the equine virus A/equi 2/Miami/63 (Heq2 Neq2); the A/Chicken Germany "N"/49 virus has the same neuraminidase as the equine virus A/equi 1/Prague/56. A comparative study of the antigenic specificities confirms that the Neq2 neuraminidases are closely connected, whatever their animal origin, and that the fowl strain Hav7 Neq2 can be used for the titration of anti Neq2 antibodies in the serums of animals immunized with the equine virus Heq2 Neq2. The Neqi neuraminidases of various animal origins are connected, but the neuraminidase of the fowl strain Hav2 Neqi is slightly inhibited by the anti Neq1 antibodies of animals immunized with the Heq1 Neq1 virus: to titrate the anti Neq1 antibodies of equine origin, the H72 Neq1 recombinant should therefore be used. The antigenic characterization of the different equine influenza strains isolated since 1967 by the study of their neuraminidase has been completed: The various neuraminidases, like the hemagglutinins of the various strains belonging to the sub-type A equi2 are closely connected; a minor antigenic variation, concerning the two surface antigens, seems to exist between the strain A equi 1/Prague/56 and the strain of the same subtype isolated in 1973.