Influenza virus type A(H3N2) has been isolated from persons
with
influenza-like illnesses in outbreaks in Sacramento, California,
New
York City, and Illinois.
In Sacramento, a kindergarten teacher developed influenza-like
illness on December 2, 1984, and similar illness in her husband and
son developed on December 5. Also, beginning on December 5 and
continuing to December 10, an outbreak of influenza-like illness
among
her students increased the class absentee rate to 50%. Throat
swabs
from the teacher and her husband and son were collected on December
7. The class was not tested. An influenza type A(H3N2) virus was
isolated from the teacher's son.
In New York City, six type A(H3N2) influenza viruses were
isolated
from inmates at Rikers Island Prison in December. Five isolates
were
recovered from young adults in the adolescent detention unit of
Rikers
Island Prison who had influenza-like illnesses from December 17 to
December 19. During the outbreak, the number of patients on sick
call
with upper respiratory illnesses increased from approximately five
to
20 daily. In addition, seven type A(H3N2) influenza virus isolates
were identified from elderly patients at an extended-care facility
in
New York City who had influenza-like illnesses in an outbreak that
began in mid-December. From December 20 to December 28, there were
30
patients with influenza-like illnesses among the approximately 500
nursing-home residents.
In Illinois, two type A(H3N2) isolates were collected from
students in school outbreaks that took place in mid-December in two
counties outside Springfield. Four type A(H3N2) isolates were
identified from students at the Chicago campus of Loyola University
who reported to the student health center in December.
Approximately
170 patients and staff members at the Hines Veterans Administration
Hospital in Chicago had influenza-like illness in an outbreak that
began in mid-December. Type A(H3N2) viruses were identified from
each
of the five specimens tested in the outbreak.
Isolates of influenza virus type A(H3N2) from sporadic cases
have
also recently been reported from Arizona, Colorado, Florida, New
Jersey, and New Mexico. Type A(H3N2) isolates were reported from
Utah
in conjunction with school outbreaks in December. Twelve states
have
now reported isolates of type A(H3N2) influenza virus this season
(Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Nevada, New
Jersey,
New Mexico, New York, Texas, Utah, and Wisconsin). One type
A(H1N1)
isolate from Houston, Texas, and type B influenza virus isolates
from
Hawaii, Illinois, Ohio, and Texas have also been identified.
Reported by P Hom, MD, Sacramento County Health Dept, California
Dept
of Health Svcs; V Tucci, C Singer, MD, Long Island Jewish Hospital,
Nassau County Health Dept, Long Island, D Bucher, PhD, Mt Sinai
School
of Medicine, H Neu, MD, Columbia Presbyterian Hospital, J Hayes, F
Silverstone, MD, New York City, I Spigland, MD, R Cohen, MD,
Montefiore Medical Center, New York City, S Beatrice, PhD, S
Friedman,
MD, New York City Dept of Health; B Haslam, Utah Dept of Health, M
Beem, MD, Univ of Chicago Medical School, C Pachuki, MD, Hines
Veterans Administration Hospital, M Wu, MD, Loyola University,
Chicago, R Murphy, PhD, Illinois Dept of Public Health; C
Linnemann,
MD, Univ of Cincinnati Hospital, Ohio; P Gross, MD, Hackensack
Medical
Center, New Jersey; G. Meiklejohn, MD, University of Colorado,
Denver;
E Buff, MS, S Lieb, MS, F Wellings, PhD, Florida Dept of Health and
Rehabilitative Svcs; State Epidemiologists and Laboratory
Directors;
Influenza Br, Div of Viral Diseases, Center for Infectious
Diseases,
CDC.
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