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- Title
Large summertime influenza A outbreak among tourists in Alaska and the Yukon Territory.
- Authors
Uyeki, Timothy M; Zane, Suzanne B; Bodnar, Ulana R; Fielding, Katherine L; Buxton, Jane A; Miller, Joy M; Beller, Michael; Butler, Jay C; Fukuda, Keiji; Maloney, Susan A; Cetron, Martin S; Alaska/Yukon Territory Respiratory Outbreak Investigation Team
- Abstract
We investigated a large summertime outbreak of acute respiratory illness during May-September 1998 in Alaska and the Yukon Territory, Canada. Surveillance for acute respiratory illness (ARI), influenza-like illness (ILI), and pneumonia conducted at 31 hospital, clinic, and cruise ship infirmary sites identified 5361 cases of ARI (including 2864 cases of ILI [53%] and 171 cases of pneumonia [3.2%]) occurring primarily in tourists and tourism workers (from 18 and 37 countries, respectively). Influenza A viruses were isolated from 41 of 210 patients with ILI at 8 of 14 land sites and 8 of 17 cruise ship infirmaries. Twenty-two influenza isolates were antigenically characterized, and all were influenza A/Sydney/05/97-like (H3N2) viruses. No other predominant pathogens were identified. We estimated that >33,000 cases of ARI might have occurred during this protracted outbreak, which was attributed primarily to influenza A/Sydney/05/97-like (H3N2) viruses. Modern travel patterns may facilitate similar outbreaks, indicating the need for increased awareness about influenza by health care providers and travelers and the desirability of year-round influenza surveillance in some regions.
- Publication
Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, 2003, Vol 36, Issue 9, p1095
- ISSN
1537-6591
- Publication type
Journal Article
- DOI
10.1086/374053