Reasonable Rascal
02-08-03, 20:37
INFLUENZA B VIRUS - UNITED KINGDOM
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A ProMED-mail post
Date: Sat 8 Feb 2003
From: ProMED-mail <promed@promedmail,org>
Source: Communicable Disease Report (CDR) Weekly, News Thu 6 Feb 2003 [edited]
<http://www.phls.co.uk/publications/cdr/pages/news.html#flub>
United Kingdom: increasing influenza B virus activity
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The Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre (CDSC) has received the first reports for the 2002-3 season, of outbreaks of influenza-like illness, all of which have occurred in schools. Positive detections of influenza B virus have been reported from three cases, in the south of England, during weeks 4 and 5 (week ending Sun 2 Feb 2003). Attack rates have ranged from 15 per cent to 58 per cent. Additional reports of outbreaks have since been received from the north of England where influenza activity has been detected in several schools through the monitoring of school sickness absence rates.
Overall this season in the United Kingdom (UK), both laboratory detections and clinical indicators for influenza have been low, with influenza B virus comprising the majority of laboratory reports. Indicators in England, however, in the last few weeks from both the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) weekly returns sentinel service for consultation rates for influenza-like illness and calls to the NHS Direct [telephone advisory service] for "cold/flu", have shown an increase in the 5 to 14 year age group for week 4, suggesting rising influenza B virus activity in children. Influenza B virus traditionally causes milder symptoms than influenza A virus and commonly affects the younger age groups.
This season, in Europe and the United States, influenza B virus has also been the major influenza virus in circulation. Confirmation of the virological cause of outbreaks of influenza-like illness, and other outbreaks of acute respiratory illness, may be of value in the management of the local outbreak, while contributing to the surveillance of influenza virus strains that may be relevant for future vaccine composition.
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ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>
[Influenza B virus infection appears to be widespread now throughout Europe and the Americas (see references below), and perhaps also in the Far East. On Sun 2 Feb 2003 ProMED-mail received a report originating from Yomiuri Shimbun <http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/newse/20030202wo34.htm>, relayd by Waldyr Milagres Junior <milagres@xxx.com.br>, reporting an extensive influenza epidemic affecting 3667 schools in Japan, with a three-fold increase over the number of cases recorded in the previous week. According to a nationwide survey of nurseries, kindergartens, primary and middle schools, about 129 000 children had suffered from influenza as of 25 Jan 2003, up about 89 000 from the previous week's survey and about 10 times as many cases compared with the corresponding period last year. The etiologic agent was not identified, but it seems likely that influenza B virus is responsible. - Mod.CP]
**********************************
A ProMED-mail post
Date: Sat 8 Feb 2003
From: ProMED-mail <promed@promedmail,org>
Source: Communicable Disease Report (CDR) Weekly, News Thu 6 Feb 2003 [edited]
<http://www.phls.co.uk/publications/cdr/pages/news.html#flub>
United Kingdom: increasing influenza B virus activity
-----------------------------------------------------
The Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre (CDSC) has received the first reports for the 2002-3 season, of outbreaks of influenza-like illness, all of which have occurred in schools. Positive detections of influenza B virus have been reported from three cases, in the south of England, during weeks 4 and 5 (week ending Sun 2 Feb 2003). Attack rates have ranged from 15 per cent to 58 per cent. Additional reports of outbreaks have since been received from the north of England where influenza activity has been detected in several schools through the monitoring of school sickness absence rates.
Overall this season in the United Kingdom (UK), both laboratory detections and clinical indicators for influenza have been low, with influenza B virus comprising the majority of laboratory reports. Indicators in England, however, in the last few weeks from both the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) weekly returns sentinel service for consultation rates for influenza-like illness and calls to the NHS Direct [telephone advisory service] for "cold/flu", have shown an increase in the 5 to 14 year age group for week 4, suggesting rising influenza B virus activity in children. Influenza B virus traditionally causes milder symptoms than influenza A virus and commonly affects the younger age groups.
This season, in Europe and the United States, influenza B virus has also been the major influenza virus in circulation. Confirmation of the virological cause of outbreaks of influenza-like illness, and other outbreaks of acute respiratory illness, may be of value in the management of the local outbreak, while contributing to the surveillance of influenza virus strains that may be relevant for future vaccine composition.
--
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>
[Influenza B virus infection appears to be widespread now throughout Europe and the Americas (see references below), and perhaps also in the Far East. On Sun 2 Feb 2003 ProMED-mail received a report originating from Yomiuri Shimbun <http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/newse/20030202wo34.htm>, relayd by Waldyr Milagres Junior <milagres@xxx.com.br>, reporting an extensive influenza epidemic affecting 3667 schools in Japan, with a three-fold increase over the number of cases recorded in the previous week. According to a nationwide survey of nurseries, kindergartens, primary and middle schools, about 129 000 children had suffered from influenza as of 25 Jan 2003, up about 89 000 from the previous week's survey and about 10 times as many cases compared with the corresponding period last year. The etiologic agent was not identified, but it seems likely that influenza B virus is responsible. - Mod.CP]