Harvard Flu May Be Linked To State Influenza Outbreak

A recent rash of illnesses reported at University Health Services (UHS) may be part of a larger outbreak of influenza diagnosed this week in Eastern Massachusetts, Dr. Warren E.C. Wacker, director of UHS said yesterday.

Health services doctors have not yet been able to prove that they are dealing with cases of influenza but Wacker said the diagnosis of the disease nearby significantly increases the possibility that it is occuring here.

In all, influenza viruses have been documented in 22 cases from 15 area communities, Wacker added, citing information he received yesterday from the State Department of Health, (SDH).

Worst in Eight Years

These cases constitute the most significant influenza outbreak since 1976, according to SDH figures. Last year at this time there were only four cases reported statewide, he added.

"With this information from the SDH it is much more likely that what we are seeing is influenza in the Harvard community," said Wacker.

Although both influenza and the more common 'flu' are caused by viruses, the first is much rarer and considered by doctors to be more serious.

Harvard doctors will not know whether any of the UHS patients exhibiting influenza symptoms were actually infected until the state finishes testing virus cultures taken from some of the students, deputy director of the health services Dr. Sholem Postel, said yesterday.

Six Admitted to Stillman

Wacker said that in the last week, six students exhibiting influenza symptoms were admitted to Stillman Infirmary, and "a lot more" were treated in the out-patient clinic.

Influenza, as opposed to the more common flu is marked by chills, high fever, muscle aching, headache and a cough, Postel said, adding, "the flu is more like a cold--a sore throat and stuffy nose."

Wacker said that statewide, all of the patients thus far diagnosed as having influenza were young people. He reported that to date only students had come to UHS exhibiting signs of the virus.

However, despite occurence of the influenza virus some health experts are down-playing the outbreak's significance. Postel noted that so far the number of cases reported was much fewer than previous epidemics.

In 1976, "you knew something was going on then-half of the population was experiencing the virus," he explained. "There's been no massive onslaught where we're talking about thousands of cases, so we're just keeping our fingers crossed."

Postel said that the current outbreak occured primarily among young people might be attributed to the virus's cyclic pattern and that possibly the present generation of college age students grew up without immunity.

Foreign Invasion

According to the SDH, all of the influenza viruses isolated were of the A. Brazil strain, except for one case of the A. Phillipine strain.

The A Brazil and A Phillipine strains are descendants of the A Hong Kong strain, said Wacker. The last major mutation of the A Hong Kong was in 1969 so that people born after 1969 would not have been exposed to it and therefore would not be immune to it be explained