[Influenza C virus isolated in Hiroshima Prefecture during the 1999/2000 winter season--a clinical and epidemiological study].
Influenza C virus (Inf. C) is one of pathogens of human respiratory tract infection and prevalent throughout the world at an early stage in life. However, Inf. C has been isolated only accidentally and there have been few reports on its clinical and epidemiological features. From November 1999 to March 2000, Inf. C was isolated from clinical specimens (throat swabs) of 4 pediataric patients with respiratory tract illness at Hiroshima Prefectural Hospital and was isolated in 4 peditaric patients at the other medical institutions in Hiroshima prefecture. There were no differences in clinical features including duration of illness, duration of fever, maximum body temperature between 4 patients with Inf. C infection and patients with influenza A (H1N1 and H3N2) and influenza B infection from 1992 to 2000. We investigated geographical distribution of patients with inf. C infection and analyzed for antigenic characteristics with a set of monoclonal antibodies against hemagglutinin-esterase glycoproteins. The data suggested that at least two antigenically different Inf. C prevalented in a region during winter from 1999 to 2000.
Department of Pediatrics, Hiroshima Prefectural Hospital.
Keita
K
Matsubara
Takashi
T
Sakano
Shinichi
S
Takao
Kazunari
K
Daikoku
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016021:Epidemiologic Studies; D006385:Hemagglutination Inhibition Tests; D006801:Humans; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D009981:Influenza B virus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009982:Gammainfluenzavirus / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D012621:Seasons