"Three Day Fever"

A SYMPTOM complex or clinical syndrome is described which appears to represent a previously unrecognized disease entity. This syndrome has been designated as three day although now its viral origin seems to be established. Its delineation resulted from our interest in the clinical study of atypical infections of infancy and childhood. CLINICAL OBSERVATIONS AND SOURCE OF CLINICAL MATERIAL During May and June 1946, a brief outbreak of an acute febrile illness occurred in Shreveport, characterized by high fever, intense headache and brief duration. It did not fit into any of the known categories of illness. Subsequent inquiry demonstrated its simultaneous presence in at least one other city (Baton Rouge, La.). 1 An identical clinical picture was observed in Shreveport during the summers of 1947 and 1948. Detailed clinical observations and histories of contact or spread were recorded. In a previous publication 2 we described these features and also limited