An epidemic of Reye syndrome associated with influenza A (H1N1) in Colorado
Halsey, N.A.; Hurwitz, E.S.; Meiklejohn, G.; Todd, W.A.; Edell, T.; Todd, J.K.; Mcintosh, K.
Journal of Pediatrics 97(4): 535-539
1980
ISSN/ISBN: 0022-3476 PMID: 7420216 Document Number: 168477
An unusual cluster of Reye syndrome was associated with an outbreak of influenza A (H1N1) infections in the state of Colorado. Of the 16 affected children, 2 had had prior episodes of Reye syndrome following respiratory infections and 1 had had transverse myelitis following varicella. A serologic study of patients treated at a children's hospital and serum specimens submitted to the state health department revealed that approximately 59% of children in Colorado had been infected with the H1N1 strain of influenza A over a 2 yr period. Based upon this serologic survey, the minimum and maximum rates of Reye syndrome associated with H1N1 infections were calculated to be 2.5 and 4.3 cases/100,000 H1N1 infections, respectively. A retrospective analysis of admissions to 4 referral hospitals in Denver revealed no unusual clustering of Reye syndrome with outbreaks of influenza A H3N2 infections during 1975-1978. The reason for an association between Reye syndrome and the H1N1 strain but not the H3N2 strains of influenza A remains unclear.