Asian Influenza Surveillance

Abstract

Armiy Institute of Researchl, idlentihie(l influ- enz-a viruises fromn the Hong Kiong epidemic as "distinctly different froimtype A strains previously isolated from this country and Europe," steps were unidertakeIn to mneet the potential thr-eat of ani epideiiic ini the UInited States.It was aniticipated that the niew strainl -would be introduced inlto this country constanitly by travelers returninig froin epideemic areas in the Far East.Single sporadic cases woild p)robably be commonplace amonig suchl persons but difficult to recognize.Localized outbreaks among selected Iiiglhly crowded p)opulation gr'ouips, particuilarly in the mYilitary forces, couild also be expected, but no extenisive epidemnic spread was tlhouglht likely until fall.All Epidlemic Intelligeince Service officers ancd all epidemiological personniel of the Communi- cabme Disease Ceniter, botlh at lheadquar-ters anid in the field, were alerted for first )riorityc duty in the investigationi of influenza and influeniza- like disease cases anid outbreaks.During June few reports of cases were received, and these largely concerned personniel on military bases a(ld ships.The first outbreaks appeared, sur- prisinigly, among the crews of several destroyers at Newport Naval Station, R. I.In mid-June slharp outbreaks occurred among Navy recruits in Sani D)iego anid Army recruits at Fort Ord, C-lif.At the end of June, ani outbreak de-