Reasonable Rascal
11-29-02, 15:47
Would any of our clinicians care to comment on this report insofar as what it may portend?
RR
INFLUENZA B, VIRULENT - SPAIN (BALEARIC ISLANDS)
********************************************
A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail, a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>
Date: Fri, 29 Nov 2002 10:03:50 +0100
From: MICROBIOLOGIA HSD
Last week (epidemiological week 47) we isolated 3 influenza type B viruses at the beginning of the current epidemic wave. The 3 cases are very special because they affected 3 children between 11 & 13 years old and with extraordinary clinical virulence.
Two children presented with high fever (greater than 39C) with myalgias, rabdomyositis (CPK greater than 1000), arthralgias and maculopapular erythema with petechias (one case). These clinical presentations are not normal and could represent the behavior of the new antigenic and genetic variant of Influenza B virus described last year [2001] in Asia and this year in Houston, Texas, USA (March 2002). The strains have been sent to the National Influenza Reference Center (Madrid) to characterize and sequence to demonstrate correspondence with the strain B/Hong-Kong/330 (included in the current flu vaccine).
--
Jordi Reina
Influenza Reference Laboratory
Balearic Islands, Spain
[ProMED reported outbreaks of influenza B/Hong Kong/330/01 in children in Houston, Texas in June 2002 & in San Pedro, Misiones, Argentina in August 2002 -- see refs. below. Could some incubating cases have traveled from Argentina to Spain? ProMED appreciates this early warning and looks forward to hearing the results from the Reference Center & news of any further cases due to this strain, anywhere. - Mod.JW]
[see also:
Influenza B virus, children - Argentina (Misiones) 20021018.5589]
Influenza B, Hong Kong strain - USA (Texas) 20020608.4438]
RR
INFLUENZA B, VIRULENT - SPAIN (BALEARIC ISLANDS)
********************************************
A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail, a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>
Date: Fri, 29 Nov 2002 10:03:50 +0100
From: MICROBIOLOGIA HSD
Last week (epidemiological week 47) we isolated 3 influenza type B viruses at the beginning of the current epidemic wave. The 3 cases are very special because they affected 3 children between 11 & 13 years old and with extraordinary clinical virulence.
Two children presented with high fever (greater than 39C) with myalgias, rabdomyositis (CPK greater than 1000), arthralgias and maculopapular erythema with petechias (one case). These clinical presentations are not normal and could represent the behavior of the new antigenic and genetic variant of Influenza B virus described last year [2001] in Asia and this year in Houston, Texas, USA (March 2002). The strains have been sent to the National Influenza Reference Center (Madrid) to characterize and sequence to demonstrate correspondence with the strain B/Hong-Kong/330 (included in the current flu vaccine).
--
Jordi Reina
Influenza Reference Laboratory
Balearic Islands, Spain
[ProMED reported outbreaks of influenza B/Hong Kong/330/01 in children in Houston, Texas in June 2002 & in San Pedro, Misiones, Argentina in August 2002 -- see refs. below. Could some incubating cases have traveled from Argentina to Spain? ProMED appreciates this early warning and looks forward to hearing the results from the Reference Center & news of any further cases due to this strain, anywhere. - Mod.JW]
[see also:
Influenza B virus, children - Argentina (Misiones) 20021018.5589]
Influenza B, Hong Kong strain - USA (Texas) 20020608.4438]