Bulletin No. 9
April 21, 1978
RUSSIAN FLU CONFIRMED IN ALASKA

Last week the Virology‑Rabies Laboratory reported the isolation of Influenza A/USSR/90/77 (H1N1) from seven patients from Fort Richardson, Elmendorf Air Force Base and Alaska Native Medical Center in Anchorage who were ill the second and third weeks in March. The virus was difficult to isolate. Specimens from other parts of the State are still pending.

Influenza activity has decreased and we appear to have survived another influenza season. We wish to thank all persons statewide who participated in our Influenza Surveillance Program. It was extremely effective and resulted in the documentation of outbreaks of influenza caused by A/Victoria, A/Texas, and now A/USSR strains. Viral culturing can be obtained throughout the year by calling Don Ritter, Virology Rabies Laboratory, Fairbanks, 479‑7017 or John Middaugh, M.D., Medical Epidemiologist, 272‑7534.

POLIO VACCINE ‑ CHANGED IMMUNIZATION SCHEDULE

The American Academy of Pediatrics recently recommended a change in the schedule for primary vaccination against polio with oral polio vaccine. This change has been adopted by the State of Alaska and is in accordance with recommendations from the Advisory Committee of Immunization Practices of the United States Public Health Service. The recommended schedule for active immunization of normal infants and children is shown below. The change is the deletion of the dose of oral polio vaccine formally given at six months of age.

RECOMMENDED SCHEDULE FOR ACTIVE IMMUNIZATION OF INFANTS
AGE	VACCINES
2 months 4 months 6 months 15 months 1½ years 4-6 years 14-16 years	DTP DTP DTP Measles, Rubella DTP DTP Td and thereafter every 10 years	TOPV TOPV   Mumps TOPV TOPV

 

RUBELLA STRIKES AGAIN

 

Two cases of rubella have been confirmed in Anchorage; one in a thirteen-year-old girl attending junior high school, the other in a seventeen-year-old girl who is not attending school and is six months pregnant. The thirteen-year-old developed fever and rash the second week in February, two weeks after a visit from her sister who lives in Seattle. We were unable to confirm this possible source of her infection. Extensive surveillance was maintained onschoolroom contacts and no known secondary cases occurred.

 

The second case occurred in a seventeen-year-old Jehovah Witness, who had been evangelizing door-to-door for the two weeks prior to the onset of her illness during the third week in February. We were unable to trace a source of her infection. No more cases have been discovered.

 

ln spite of Alaska's successful Immunization Programs, cases of measles, rubella, pertussis, and diphtheria will continue to occur due to importation of these diseases by unvaccinated children coming to Alaska from other states.  We count on rapid reporting of suspect cases to allow for epidemiologic control measures to limit spread.