It is generally believed that pigs can serve as an intermediate host for the transmission of avian influenza viruses to humans or as mixing vessels for the generation of avian-human reassortant viruses. Here we describe the antigenic and genetic characterization of two influenza A (H1N1) viruses, which were isolated in The Netherlands from two patients who suffered from pneumonia. Both viruses proved to be antigenically and genetically similar to avian-like swine influenza A (H1N1) viruses which currently circulate in European pigs. It is concluded that European swine H1N1 viruses can infect humans directly, causing serious disease without the need for any reassortment event.

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doi.org/10.1006/viro.2000.0810, hdl.handle.net/1765/3791
Virology
Erasmus MC: University Medical Center Rotterdam

Rimmelzwaan, G., de Jong, J., Bestebroer, T., van Loon, A., Claas, E., Osterhaus, A., & Fouchier, R. (2001). Antigenic and genetic characterization of swine influenza A (H1N1) viruses isolated from pneumonia patients in The Netherlands. Virology, 282(2), 301–306. doi:10.1006/viro.2000.0810