Abstract
Blouse, L E. (Epidemiology Division. USAF School of Aerospace Medicine. Brooks AFB, Texas 78236), L. N. Kolonel and V. Corrado. Influenza A/England: an outbreak at a military academy. Am J Epidemiol 100:216–221. 1974.—The first outbreak of A/England influenza in the United States during the 1972–1973 respiratory season is described. The outbreak was confined to an unvaccinated population of 3935 cadets at the U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado. During the 10-day period of the outbreak, 778 (19.8 per cent) of the cadets were affected, and specific attack rates for each of the four cadet classes ranged from 170.8/1000 to 227.1/1000. For three days preceding the outbreak, about 400 recently vaccinated naval midshipmen from the U.S. Naval Academy shared quarters with the Air Force cadets. During the four days following the visit, a single midshipman developed possible influenza whereas, in the same period, 352 cadet cases were recognized. The highly significant difference in attack rates (2.5 versus 89.5/1000) provides evidence for the efficacy of the 1972–1973 influenza vaccine against the A/ England/42/72 variant.