Health Protection and Infectious
Diseases in Merton
Julia Groom
Joint Consultant in Public Health –Merton
1 December 2010
Morden Community Forum
Overview
• The scale of the problem
• Prevention is better than cure
• What’s been in the news
• What to do, who can help
Infectious diseases are not the main cause of
illness and deaths in Merton….
250
Main causes of deaths in Merton in people aged under
75 years
Number of deaths
200
150
100
50
0
Cancers
Circulatory
Respiratory
External cause
2003
Source: ONS Mortality Files 2003, 2008
Liver disease
2008
Neonatal
Infectious and
parasitic
Other
…but prevention is better than cure
What’s been in the news?
• Big story from 2009 pandemic flu
• Measles cases increased in SWL in 2009
• TB rates in UK have been rising over last 20yrs
• Large focus on E-coli cases and farm visits
• HIV/AIDs –World AIDS Day
Pandemic Flu
•
Influenza-like illness in SWL, 2009/10
Source: QSurveillance, HPA
Seasonal Influenza Immunisation
Target Groups include:
• All those aged 65 years and over
• All those aged 6 months and over
in clinical risk group
•All immuno-compromised
individuals
•Those living amongst a residential
care homes or other long stay care
facilities
• Those in receipt of carers
allowance and those who are the
main carer of the elderly or disabled
person
SWL Health Protection Unit
8
Measles
• Measles can be a serious disease but is
preventable with MMR vaccine (2 doses)
• All suspected measles cases are contacted and
offered a test to try to confirm the diagnosis.
• There was a significant increase in cases of
measles in Sutton and Merton in 2010
– From 5 confirmed cases in 2009
– To 22 confirmed cases 2010 (14 were linked to an
outbreak in a school)
Childhood Immunisation
What is Tuberculosis (TB)?
• TB is an infectious
disease
• Usually affects the
lungs
• Can affect other parts
of the body
• TB IS PREVENTABLE
AND CURABLE
• But if not treated, TB
can lead to very severe
disease and even
death
TB Notification rates are low compared to
London but awareness and early treatment is
important
Importance of hand hygiene in controlling
spread of infection generally
World AIDS Day:
1st December
www.worldaidsday.org
South West London
Health Protection Unit
• Surveillance
• Notifications
• Partnership with the local authority and local
NHS
• Monitoring trends –across the borough,
schools, care homes
• On-call advice and action
www.hpa.org.uk
Any questions?
17