View report page

INFECTIOUS DISEASES
NOTIFIABLE INFECTIOUS DISEASES
Statistics of notifiable infectious diseases are given in Table E on page 48.
ANTHRAX
A very unusual incident occurred in 1965 in which contaminated second-hand sacks
appeared to be the source of infection in a case of pulmonary anthrax. A 54-year old
Jamaican employed as a grinding machine operator developed pulmonary anthrax and died
within two days. In the eight days before the onset of the illness he had been grinding
sterilised bone charcoal which had been delivered to the factory in second-hand sacks.
Some of these sacks had been used to import raw bone before its sterilisation and
Bacillus anthracis was isolated from four out of six sacks examined, (British Journal of
Industrial Medicine 1968). The contaminated sacks were destroyed ahd sterile paper
sacks have since been in use.
BRUCELLOSIS
An outbreak of seven cases of Brucella melitensis infection (Mediterranean fever)
took place in 1965 in persons of Italian origin resident in the Borough. The infection
was traced to Pecorino cheese which had been purchased in a village market in central Italy
(British Medical Journal 8th March, 1969). All seven patients recovered satisfactorily
after treatment.
DIPHTHERIA
No cases of diphtheria were notified during the years 1965-1970, although the Medical
Officer of Health was informed of five suspected cases. Isolation of the suspected case,
immunisation and collection of nose and throat swabs from immediate contacts was instituted
in each instance. All the suspected cases proved to be suffering from infectious
mononucleosis.
One carrier of a diphtheria organism in a school child was reported. Immunisation
and examination of the school and home contacts was carried out. Laboratory tests subsequently
showed the strain of organism to be non-pathogenic.
FOOD POISONING
Over 400 cases of suspected food poisoning were investigated by the Public Health
Inspectors during the six years under review.
There were 58 cases of salmonella infection. Four of these due to Salmonella
brandenburg comprised a small outbreak in a maternity unit. Ten were due to S.panama and
formed part of a widespread outbreak in East London and Essex traced to cooked ham,
and four due to S.enteritidis were part of an outbreak at a wedding reception in a
neighbouring borough.
There were 17 cases of staphylococcal food poisoning, 13 of which comprised an
outbreak in a hospital ward. This was traced to a food handler suffering from external
otitis.
9