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13
Whooping Cough.
The incidence of this disease fluctuates from year to year.
There were 491 notifications during 1953 as against the unusually
low figure of 77 in 1952 and 550 in 1951. There were 2 deaths in
1953.
There are periodic cycles of occurrences, usually in alternate
years and this may be because the children who escape infection
probably develop a temporary latent immunity. These number
twice as many as are attacked. This immunity is, however, short
lived, probably of one year's duration and at the end of this time
the immunity has waned. The accumulation of susceptibles thus
produced leads to an epidemic.
The incubation period of whooping cough is usually seven
days with rare cases observed up to 21 days. The initial catarrhal
stage is very infective.
The disease is spread usually by intimate contact rather than
more casual contact and is associated with institutions and
crowded environments. Within a family the chances are higher of
the non-immunes getting whooping cough. It is mainly contracted
in infancy and childhood, and the incidence is greater among females.
The campaign for immunization against whooping cough,
using pertussis/diphtheria vaccine, which was started in the autumn
of 1947 has been intensively pursued, yet in spite of this there has
been no reduction in the number of cases notified, although the
attack appears to be of a milder nature in the children who have
been immunized. It is gratifying, however, that the number of
deaths during the 6 complete years since the introduction of
immunization was only 6 as against 17 for the 6 years preceding
the campaign.
As a result of a valuable piece of research undertaken by the
Deputy Medical Officer of Health, Dr. H. Binysh, into the immunizing
efficiency of three types of vaccine and into the degree of local
and general reaction caused by each, the type of vaccine used in
the Borough was changed during the year.
It will be of interest to see if the incidence and mortality are
further reduced during the forthcoming years.
Acute Anterior Poliomyelitis and Polio-Encephalitis.
There were 13 cases of confirmed Poliomyelitis, 6 paralytic
and 7 non-paralytic.
This is 8 less than in the previous year.
One death occurred, a paralytic case of a boy of 13 years.