Big jump in reported cases of Influenza B

NST: KUALA LUMPUR: The Influenza B virus has hit Malaysia with a vengeance. The Health Ministry recorded a tremendous jump in cases last month compared to earlier in the year.
Institute for Medical Research’s Infectious Diseases Research Centre director Dr Nor Shahidah Khairullah said Malaysians who were old or very young were advised to be vaccinated.
"This will provide 70 to 90 per cent protection against the virus," she said.
She said an IMR surveillance and specimen analysis of patients since January showed that many Malaysians had been infected by the new strain.
"We saw a tremendous rise in people with suspected Flu B in April. We have sent specimens to the World Health Organisation’s laboratory in Australia for confirmation of the new strain."
The new strain named B/Malaysia/2506/2004 was detected in December 2004 during a laboratory surveillance carried out on influenza viruses.
The strain, though not as severe as Influenza A, can lead to death in the very young or old and those suffering from ailments like diabetes, heart diseases and chronic obstructive airway disease.
Last year, the strain infected quite a number of Malaysians with many coming down with the flu in April and November.
Dr Nor Shahidah said other Flu B viruses circulating in Malaysia were the B/Shanghai/361/2002-like and B/Hong Kong/330/2001-like.
It is learnt that some 15 to 20 per cent of 26 million Malaysians suffer from some form of influenza-like illness every year.
In 2001, the prominent Flu B virus circulating in Malaysia was B/Sichuan/379/99 with many infected in April, May and June. In 2002, the B/Hong Kong hit the nation.
In April 2003, the B/Sichuan infected many in March, April, May, September, October, November and December.
The first 11 months of 2004 saw Malaysians being infected with either B/Shanghai/361/2002-like or B/Hong Kong.
Dr Nor Shahidah said this was the first time that Malaysia had stumbled upon a unique virus.
"We constantly monitor influenza viruses to determine new variants. This is also done worldwide to update the vaccine annually," she said.