PUBLIC RELEASE DATE: 11-Oct-2004
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FACT SHEET: Texas Children's Hospital specialists saw severe flu season in 2003, expect same in 2004

The 2003 flu season was early and severe, resulting in one of the worst flu outbreaks in Houston history, a scenario that played out in many cities nationwide. Texas Children's Hospital specialists say the flu is predictably unpredictable, and they are preparing for an intense 2004 season. Following are facts about last year's record-breaking flu outbreak.

2003 flu season was early and severe

Due to flu cases, October 2003 was the busiest month in the history of the Texas Children's Hospital Emergency Center. In October alone, more than 9,000 patients with flu symptoms came to the center. Approximately 6,500 patients usually are seen in the emergency center in October.

October 2003 was the busiest month in the 16-year history of the Texas Children's Hospital Diagnostic Virology Laboratory, where specialists process tests for flu and related diseases.

In October, the height of the flu outbreak, the Texas Children's Emergency Center saw 360 to 400 patients daily; 90 percent of these had the flu.

In previous years during October, the center saw approximately 240 patients daily, and just a handful of these had the flu.

The flu season started early-the first week of October-and peaked at the end of that month. The season usually starts in December and peaks in January or February.

In October/November 2003, Texas Children's processed 2,181 flu tests; of these, 478 were positive.

In October/November 2002, 715 tests were processed and 1 was positive.

During the entire six-month flu season in 2002, only 227 flu tests were positive.

Texas Children's was one of the earliest, if not the first, to detect the early, sharp increase in flu cases in 2003. Flu virus strains obtained from patients at the hospital were sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Ga., for review. From these strains, a new type of flu was identified, and that new strain was added to the 2004 flu vaccine.

Flu is highly contagious and easily mutates into new strains, setting perfect conditions for another severe flu season in 2004.

Texas Children's Hospital

Texas Children's is the primary pediatric teaching hospital for Baylor College of Medicine.

The nonprofit Texas Children's Hospital, licensed for 697 beds, is the largest children's hospital in the United States and offers more than 40 pediatric subspecialties.

The hospital is ranked No. 4 among pediatric hospitals nationwide by Child magazine, and No. 4 by U.S.News & World Report.

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The nonprofit Texas Children's Hospital, celebrating 50 years, is the largest children's hospital in the United States. www.texaschildrenshospital.org