Influenza (A2/ Hong Kong/, 68) in the baboon (Papio sp.).

SummaryA freshly isolated strain of human influenza virus (A2/Phila. 101/68), shown to be similar to the A2/Hong Kong/68 variants, produced infection in Kenya baboons (Papio sp.) accompanied by seroconversion and shedding of virus over a period of days. Uninoculated control animals in neighboring cages developed a similar pattern of seroconversion and virus shedding.This study was funded in part by USPHS grants no. 5-R01-AI-07142-03 to the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine and USPHS grants GM-FR13252, 5-P06-FRO0361-02 and WHO grant no. Z2/181/27 to Southwest Foundation for Research and Education. We are grateful to Schering Corporation, Bloomfield, N. J., for supplying the Celestone used in the original study. The authors wish to acknowledge the able assistance of Betty Tunmer and Donna Thomas.