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7
Diphtheria
There were no cases during 1970 in the Borough.
Dysentery
There were 49 confirmed cases compared with 113 in 1969. On 8 occasions, several members of one
family were found to be infected. However, these were sporadic incidents, the various families were not
connected in any way and there was no evidence of or common source of infection. All cases were followed
up until free from infection.
Several children at a day nursery were suffering from loose stools and on examination of stools
of all the children attending, 4 were found to have shigella sonnei. These children received treatment and were
excluded from the nursery until free from infection.
Encephalitis
One case was notified but not confirmed.
Food Poisoning
During the year, 46 confirmed cases and their contacts were dealt with. Where food handlers were
involved they were either excluded from work or given other duties.
There were no general outbreaks of food poisoning in the Borough this year. Nine cases were
thought to have contracted the infection whilst on holiday abroad, and another 2 cases were residents involved
in two separate outbreaks originating outside the Borough.
Measles
There was an increase in the number of cases notified (1,191) compared with 1969 (970), but they
did not reach the figure of 1968 which was 1,367.
Poliomyelitis
There were no cases in the Borough this year.
Smallpox
There were no cases in the Borough, but 60 people were put under routine surveillance after
arriving from endemic areas abroad without valid vaccination certificates.
Typhoid and Paratyphoid Fever
During the year 5 cases of typhoid and 2 cases of paratyphoid fever were notified and confirmed.
There was no pattern indicating route of infection. In the case of typhoid fever, 2 patients were young
children, one of whom was probably infected through the mother, found on investigation to be a carrier, and
the second probably infected from a house contact who gave a history of typhoid fever in Dominica five
years ago.
Despite the frequency of continental holidays, only one patient apparently contracted the disease
abroad and was subsequently diagnosed on return to this country. The fourth case was a man aged 23 who
suffered from a "flu-like" illness but was subsequently admitted to hospital with an abscess of the right tibia,
pus from which revealed a heavy growth of Salmonella typhi.
The final case was a male sound recordist who freelanced for television companies travelling during
the relevant period in Turkey and the Lebanon. At the time of the visits vaccination against smallpox and
cholera was compulsory for visitors to these lands, but the history of TAB vaccination was doubtful.
No secondary cases occurred from the notified individuals. It is sound practice, however, if holidays
are contemplated in Europe and further afield, to receive prior vaccination some three months at least
before the visit is undertaken.
Of the 2 paratyphoid cases, one had recently returned from Pakistan where the infection probably
occurred, and the second developed symptoms within 14 days of return from a tour of Europe.
As well as these cases, 31 persons were kept under surveillance after they had returned to the
Borough from endemic areas abroad or had been contacts of confirmed cases in other Boroughs.
Whooping Cough
There were 78 cases notified this year compared with 37 for 1969.
Ophthalmia Neonatorum
There was no impairment of vision in the 2 cases which were confirmed.
Infective Jaundice
Details of the 46 cases confirmed as suffering from the disease were sent to the North London
Blood Transfusion Centre of the National Blood Transfusion Service. The information enables the Service
to delete the patient's name from the panel if he or she is a donor and to defer the call up of close contacts
for 6 months. In addition, it may enable the Service to stop a recent donation from being used clinically or
induced in a pool of plasma.