Reye syndrome surveillance--United States, 1989.

Reye syndrome (RS) is an acute illness that occurs almost exclusively in children; it is characterized clinically by profuse vomiting and neurologic dysfunction, sometimes progressing to delirium, coma, and death. Continuous national surveillance for RS was established in December 1976. This report summarizes RS cases for the 1989 surveillance year (December 1, 1988-November 20, 1989).