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An Influenza B Epidemic Within a Remote Alaska CommunitySerologic, Epidemiologic, and Clinical Observations
Paul S. Clark, MD;
Elmer T. Feltz, MS;
Betty List-Young, MA;
Donald G. Ritter;
Gary R. Noble, MD
JAMA. 1970;214(3):507-512.
Abstract
During January 1969 an epidmic of influenza B was documented in Klawock, Alaska, a remote insular community 80 miles west of Ketchikan. One person died and 149 others developed an acute respiratory disease characterized by fever, cough, headache, and coryza. A fourfold or greater rise in hemagglutination-inhibiting (HI) antibody titer to influenza B developed in 26 persons, and influenza B virus was isolated from 5 patients. Reciprocal HI testing of the Alaska strain (B/Alaska/4-69) did not disclose a significant antigenic difference from the vaccine strain (B/Massachusetts/3-66). However, 36 of the 46 persons who had been vaccinated during the preceding 3 to 12 months developed clinical influenza, and the attack rate within this group did not differ significantly from the attack rate among the unvaccinated population.
Author Affiliations
From the epidemiology and ecological investigations programs, National Communicable Disease Center, Health Services and Mental Health Administration, Public Health Service, Atlanta and Kansas City, Kan (Drs. Clark and Noble); and Epidemiology Section, Arctic Health Research Center, Environmental Health Service, College, Alaska (Elmer Feltz, Betty List-Young, and Donald Ritter). Dr. Clark is now in the Ecological Investigations Program in Anchorage, Alaska, and Dr. Noble is now with the University of California, Berkeley.
Footnotes
Reprint requests to 528 1/2 Fifth Ave, Anchorage, Alaska 99501 (Dr. Clark).
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