Case series of rash associated with influenza B in school children.
This case series describes morbilliform and other rash presentations among schoolchildren during a March 2014 outbreak of influenza-like illness (ILI) in British Columbia, Canada. Multiplex nucleic acid testing of nasopharyngeal specimens and paired serologic investigations identified that influenza B, characterized as B/Massachusetts/02/2012-like (Yamagata-lineage), was the only viral aetiology and most likely cause of ILI and rash. An association between influenza B and rash has been described infrequently elsewhere, and not previously in North America. Influenza B should be considered in the differential diagnosis of febrile exanthem. Evaluation of the nature, incidence and contributing agent-host-environment interactions, and immunologic mechanisms to possibly explain influenza-associated rash is warranted.
British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, BC, Canada; University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Danuta M
DM
Skowronski
Catharine
C
Chambers
William
W
Osei
Jill
J
Walker
Martin
M
Petric
Monika
M
Naus
Yan
Y
Li
Mel
M
Krajden
D000293:Adolescent; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D005076:Exanthema / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009981:Influenza B virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male
D000914:Antibodies, Viral
Exanthem; inactivated; influenza; influenza vaccine; influenza-like illness; morbilliform; rash; vaccine