Long-absent virus appears
PA Hamilton Seven young Aucklanders died early last winter from an influenza-associated illness caused by a virus absent from New Zealand for the previous 25 years, according to the “Medical Journal.” The virus is known as subtype HINI and was responsible for epidemic influenza in the late 1940 s and early 19505.
The Auckland deaths last winter were all of peopleaged under 22. The youngest was aged four. Auckland Hospital’s medical registrar (Dr R. Eason) and pathology registrar (Dr M. Sage) attribute the susceptibility of young people to the virus to their lack of natural bodily defences.
People bom since the mid--1950s had not been exposed to the virus before last winter’s national epidemic, they said.
In three of the Auckland cases intensively treated in hospital antibiotics had been ineffective.
Thq clinical pattern seemed to have changed little in the half-century since the disastrous 1918 epidemic. If antibiotics available now had been available then they might have had little benefit.
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Press, 5 March 1980, Page 3
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163Long-absent virus appears Press, 5 March 1980, Page 3
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