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25
Paratyphoid "B'' Fever
A Birmingham young lady who was a member of a Holiday tour to Alghero, Sardinia,
was taken ill and admitted to hospital as a confirmed case of Paratyphoid ™B" Fever.
3 Islington families who were members of the same tour were kept under observation.
Routine bacteriological examinations proved negative
Chinese Bulked Egg Paratyphoid B Type Taunton
In a communication received from the Ministry of Health, information was given
concerning three outbreaks of Paratyphoid B type Taunton which had occurred in the
provinces since the middle of March This outbreak was similar to one which occurred
in Edinburgh at the end of last year and continued until the beginning of 1963.
Approximately half the original cases occurred in young people and were associated
with cream pastries or cakes These were usually traced to a bakery in which Chinese
Bulked Egg products were known to have been used at the relevant time
In sampling the Chinese Egg products at Bakeries associated with the above
outbreaks. Paratyphoid type B was not found and a casual association not proved, but
precautions in the case of Chinese Bulked Egg seemed desirable.
Stocks in cold stores from suspected shipments were held and the importers and
distributors took steps to recall any unused stocks. Hie Minister advised that a
check of the use of this product in bakeries was advisable and that general
practitioners be advised to be on the alert.
All the general practitioners in the Borough were informed accordingly and all
the bakeries in the Borough inspected Only in one case was Chinese Egg found A
sample was forwarded to the Bacteriologist who reported that organisms of the
Salmonella group were not isolated
Typhus
Information was received in late June of a Doctor who had arrived by plane from
India and had been in contact with a case of Typhus Fever,
Domiciliary enquiries proved to be satisfactory and, as the quarantine period
was complete, no further action was taken
Dysentery
The incidence of Dysentery in 1963 (1,378 cases) showed a sharp rise over 1962
(369 cases). Indeed, this figure is the highest ever recorded in Islington for this
disease. From the detailed analysis it will be noted that 455 cases (33%) were under
5 years and 662 cases (48%) aged 5-15 years. Hie infecting organism in nearly all
cases is Shigella sonnei and the illness is fortunately rarely severe or dangerous.
This age distribution is explained by the character of the occurrences. Some
schoolchildren in a school in the north of the Borough were affected in early
December 1962, and in addition to the children, a kitchen meals helper was also found
to be carrying the organism. Subsequently, children at a number of other schools were
also affected, and cases were reported from four Day Nurseries