International Centre
for Cruise Research
A virtual
centre for research and for
researchers
Abstract
Uyeki,
T. M.; Zane, S. B.; Bodnar, U. R.; Fielding, K.
L.;
Buxton, J. A.; Miller, J. M.; Beller, M.; Butler, J.
C.; Fukuda, K.; Maloney, S. A. and Cetron, M. S.
"Large summertime influenza a outbreak among tourists in Alaska
and the Yukon
Territory," Clinical
Infectious Diseases, 2003, 36:9,
1095-1102
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 >33000 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.
www.cruiseresearch.org