Report of the Department of Health / New Zealand.

  • New Zealand. Department of Health.
Date:
[1965]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Report of the Department of Health / New Zealand. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    69/112 (page 69)
    Enteroviruses—The epidemiology of Coxsackie B viruses in New Zealand is becoming clearer. The various strains replace each other in succession, one strain being dominant for a period usually of several months. In 1963 Coxsackie B5 was most prevalent, but our last isolation of this strain was from a case of asceptic meningitis in Napier on 5 February 1964. On 17 February 1964 Coxsackie B3 was first isolated from a case of Bornholm’s disease in Wellington, and this strain remained prevalent until the end of May. No further strains were isolated until early in December when a Coxsackie B, type 4, was isolated from a sample of sewage from Moa point, Wellington. Three strains of poliovirus were isolated during the year, one of each type. The type 1 virus was isolated from a fatal case of poliomyelitis occurring on board ship and not in New Zealand and is a reminder that fresh strains may be introduced at any time. The type 2 virus was isolated in July from a one-month-old baby suffering from myocarditis and whose mother had died of myocarditis. At about this time a small type 2 outbreak was recognised in Melbourne, Australia. The type 3 virus was isolated from the faecal swab of a two-year-old child who had been in hospital in Wairoa for the preceding year suffering from infantile eczema. There was no known contract with Sabin vaccine strains in either of the last two cases. It may be possible to identify vaccine strains by producing sera specific for the Sabin viruses, and such a specific anti¬ serum was made for type 2 late in 1964. It is hoped to identify strains as “wild” or “vaccine” with more certainty in the future. Influenza—A short sharp epidemic of type A2 influenza occurred in June 1964. Seven strains of Myxovirus influenzae type A2 were isolated and proved to be similar to the A2 viruses which had affected Europe in the winter of 1962. Virus Serology—In addition to the serological tests needed for special projects, complement fixation tests were done on paired serum samples as follows, 247 for adenovirus, 22 for psittacosis, and two for mumps. Special Projects—1. In 1964, the examination of 97 further faecal swabs completed the investigation of normal and ill children in Wairoa mentioned in last year’s report. The results from 398 swabs from 151 children in 101 families, showed the amount of enterovirus infection occurring throughout the year in children was between 10 and 15 per cent per month. In this hemisphere the peak of enterovirus infection may be in the autumn months of April and May. Observations extended in time and to other localities would be needed to confirm this. 2. Beginning in February the Virus Laboratory collaborated with the College of General Practitioners in Wellington in an investigation of ulcerative conditions of the mouth occurring in adolescents. From 38 patients 12 viruses were isolated, six Herpes Simplex, three Coxsackie A, two Coxsackie B (the current B3), and one adenovirus. Three Cox¬ sackie B3 viruses were isolated from controls. The investigation will be continued to define more closely the appearances of the throat in herpangina. 3. Two years have elapsed since the polio-vaccine mass campaign, and the time seemed opportune to assess the immunity of the population to see if booster vaccine doses are likely to become necessary. An investi¬ gation in collaboration with the virus laboratories in Auckland and Dunedin was started in the latter part of the year. In each area, 200