Maine teen dies of flu complications; vaccinations urged

BANGOR – An otherwise healthy Sagadahoc County teenager died from complications of influenza in the week between Christmas and New Year’s. According to the latest flu update from the state Bureau of Health, the teen developed flu symptoms Dec. 19 and was hospitalized Dec. 24. Lab tests confirmed influenza as well as a bacterial pneumonia infection that did not respond to antibiotic treatment.

State health officials are urging high-risk Mainers to get a flu vaccine if they can. Although flu cases have been reported in Maine for about a month, state epidemiologist Kathleen Gensheimer said Thursday the season is really just getting under way.

“It’s January in Maine,” Gensheimer said. “This is when we typically get hit.”

The progress of the season is measured according to a number of statistics gathered weekly, including the percentage of physician visits and hospital admissions for flulike symptoms, rates of public school absenteeism, and the number of specimens submitted to the state laboratory that test positive for the flu virus.

All of these indicators show the flu season is picking up steam in Maine and other states. At this time, it does not appear to be as severe a virus as last year’s was, and the vaccine that was developed for this season is a good match for it.

Still, flu is not to be taken lightly. On average, it kills 36,000 Americans each year and hospitalizes another 100,000. More than 90 percent of the people whose death is related to influenza are 65 or older, according to the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, though, as last week’s case makes tragically clear, even young, healthy people can die.

In Maine, about 300 people die each year from flu and its complications. A few flu-related deaths in adults have been reported this year, but Gensheimer said the state’s tracking system is still being developed and the diagnosis of flu is largely subjective. Reliable information can take two years or longer to be compiled, she said.

Pediatric deaths are more closely tracked. In the past six years, only four flu-related deaths have been reported in Maine youngsters 18 and under.

Gensheimer said the state still has about 6,000 doses of injectable flu vaccine – doses that were in high demand earlier in the season because of a severe national shortage. Although state and federal health officials were able to augment Maine’s scanty allocation, demand for the vaccine has waned, and recent clinics have been attended only sparsely.

Even though the season is well under way, Gensheimer said it’s not too late to be protected, and she urged all Mainers in the high-risk category established by the CDC to get one of the remaining doses. It takes about two weeks for protection to develop fully, she said, and the flu season is likely to extend at least to the end of March. “As long as there’s flu in Maine, it’s not too late,” Gensheimer said.

A public flu clinic is scheduled for 9 a.m. to noon Jan. 19 at the Harrington Family Health Center in Harrington. Call 483-4502 for more information.

A public clinic also is planned for 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan 15, at 190 Beechland Road in Ellsworth. For more information call 667-7953. Some doctors’ offices also have vaccine supplies.

For more information on vaccine clinics in your area or to check the status of the 2004-2005 influenza season, call the state’s toll-free flu vaccine hot line at 1-888-257-0990 or visit www.mainepublichealth.org. For national information go to www.cdc.gov.

Who is high-risk?

High-risk categories as established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

. Children age 6 to 23 months.

. Adults age 50 or older.

. Anyone with a chronic medical condition such as diabetes, heart disease or respiratory disease.

. Women who will be pregnant during the fluseason.

. Day care providers and other caretakers of infants.

. Residents of nursing homes.

. Health care workers who provide direct patient care.