Colorado. The first reported domestic outbreak of influenza in
the
United States for the 1987-88 season occurred in November among
children attending a preschool in Colorado.* The index case
occurred
in a 3-1/2-year-old boy with a history of asthma. On November 12,
he
became febrile (38.8 degrees C (102 degrees F)) and had a cough. He
was hospitalized on November 18 because his symptoms had become
more
severe. Influenza A(H3N2) was isolated from a culture collected on
the
patient's admission to the hospital. The child's condition
improved,
and he was discharged on November 20. Further investigation
revealed
that an outbreak of influenza-like illness had occurred among the
child's preschool classmates during the first 2 weeks of November.
The
outbreak peaked on November 12, when 10 (67%) of the 15 children
were
absent. None of the other children were hospitalized. Surveillance
in
the surrounding community revealed no increase either in school
absenteeism or in physician reports of outpatient visits for
influenza-like illness.
Other reports. For the report week ending December 19, 3
states**
reported regional activity of influenza-like illness. So far this
season, influenza A(H3N2) has been the predominant strain. Ten
states*** have now reported isolates of influenza A(H3N2) virus.
Influenza A, subtype pending, has also been reported from Hawaii,
Louisiana, Utah, and Washington. Sporadically occurring cases of
influenza B were reported in Arizona during October and in Hawaii
during October and November. One case of influenza B has been
reported
recently from Tennessee. There have been no reports of influenza
A(H1N1) virus isolates so far this season.
Reported by: K Dallow, MD, Eaton; P Graves, G Meikeljohn, MD, Univ
of
Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver; A Scott, RE Hoffman, MD,
MPH,
State Epidemiologist, Colorado Dept of Health. P Palmer, C Edwards,
Vanderbilt Univ Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee. E Swierkosz,
St.
Louis Univ Medical Center, Missouri. Influenza Research Center,
Baylor
College of Medicine, Houston, Texas. Participating State and
Territorial Epidemiologists and State Laboratory Directors. WHO
Collaborating Center for Influenza, Influenza Br, Div of Viral
Diseases, Center for Infectious Diseases, CDC.
Reference
Centers for Disease Control. Outbreak of influenza-like illness
in
a tour group--Alaska. MMWR 1987;36:697-8,704.
*This represents the first reported domestic outbreak in the United
States, although an outbreak of influenza-like illness among
members
of a tour group in Alaska was previously reported (1).
**Alabama, South Dakota, and Utah.
*** California, Colorado, Florida, Missouri, North Dakota, South
Dakota, Texas, Tennessee, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
Disclaimer
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