NEW CALICIVIRUS ISOLATES FROM FECES OF WALRUS (ODOBENUS ROSMARUS)

Three calicivirus isolations were made from walrus feces collected in 1977 off sea ice in the south central Chukchi Sea and all were of a single serotype. Individual sera from 40 walruses sampled in 1976 about 100 km east of the Pribilof Islands, Alaska were examined for sera neutralizing antibodies to the walrus calicivirus. Three animals tested positive and these were between the ages of 11 and 18 yr. In 1981, sera from 18 walruses sampled near the Soviet coast were tested and two animals, ages 8 and 12 yr, were positive. This is the first report of a walrus virus isolate and is the first time a calicivirus has been isolated from a host whose natural habitat is confined to northern waters.