[Influenza C virus isolated in Hiroshima Prefecture during the 1999/2000 winter season--a clinical and epidemiological study].

Abstract

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.

• Authors: Keita Matsubara, Takashi Sakano, Shinichi Takao, Kazunari Daikoku
• Journal: Kansenshogaku zasshi. The Journal of the Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases (Kansenshogaku Zasshi) Vol. 78 Issue 6 Pg. 470-5 (Jun 2004) ISSN: 0387-5911 [Print] Japan
• PMID: 15287473 (Publication Type: English Abstract, Journal Article)

Topics

• Adolescent
• Child
• Child, Preschool
• Epidemiologic Studies
• Hemagglutination Inhibition Tests
• Humans
• Influenza A virus (isolation & purification)
• Influenza B virus (isolation & purification)
• Influenza, Human (epidemiology)
• Influenzavirus C (immunology, isolation & purification)
• Japan (epidemiology)
• Respiratory Tract Infections (epidemiology, virology)
• Seasons