Large sequential outbreaks caused by influenza A (H3N2) and B viruses in an institution for the mentally handicapped
✍ Scribed by Sugaya, N.; Kusumoto, N.; Suzuki, Y.; Nerome, R.; Nerome, K.
- Publisher
- John Wiley and Sons
- Year
- 1996
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 592 KB
- Volume
- 50
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 0146-6615
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✦ Synopsis
During the mixed epidemic caused by influenza A(H3N2) and B in the 1992-1993season in Japan, large sequential outbreaks occurred in an institution for mentally handicapped people where none of the residents or staff members had been immunized. During the influenza A outbreak (A/ Beijing/32/92-like strain) in January, 37.0% of the residents (85/230) and 31.4% of the staff (75/239) had an influenza-like illness. During the influenza B outbreak (B/Panama/45/90-and B/Beijing/l84/ 93-like strain) in late February, 59.0% of the residents and 24.3% of the staff had an influenzalike illness. As many as 25.2% of the residents had two episodes of influenza-like illness during the season, as opposed to only 5.4% of the staff members. Mixed epidemics probably have a severe impact on institutionalized high-risk people, adversely affecting them almost twice as much as influenza epidemics caused by a single virus.