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Journal of Clinical Microbiology, August 2005, p. 4212-4214, Vol. 43, No. 8
0095-1137/05/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JCM.43.8.4212-4214.2005
Copyright © 2005, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Variation of the Conserved Neutralizing Epitope in Influenza B Virus Victoria Group Isolates in Japan

Department of Microbiology, Kobe Institute of Health, 4-6, Minatojima-nakamachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe, 650-0046 Japan,¹ Department of Infectious Diseases, Osaka Prefectural Institute of Public Health, 1-3-69, Nakamichi, Higashinari-ku, Osaka, 537-0025 Japan²

Received 26 December 2004/ Returned for modification 3 February 2005/ Accepted 28 April 2005

For almost 20 years, the neutralizing-epitope site specific for influenza B virus Victoria group isolates was conserved at the "tip" of the hemagglutinin molecule; however, it was not detected in half of the isolates from the 2002-2003 epidemic in Japan. Amino acid substitutions (D164E or N165K) were observed at the "tip," and the epitope was altered. The viral antigenicities were affected, and human antibodies did not substantially inhibit the hemagglutination in the hemagglutination inhibition tests. It is suspected that such variants will be important in future epidemics.

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