Thursday 29 July 2010

Departments

Infectious Diseases

 

Infectious Diseases – sometimes called Communicable Diseases – are diseases that can be passed from one person to another. Protecting the public from communicable diseases is a very important part of the work of the Public Health Department.

Dr Vinod Tohani, Consultant in Communicable Disease Control, leads the work. He is supported by a team of Doctors, Nurses and other staff. Dr Tohani and his team work closely with professionals in other organisations such as Hospitals, GPs, local Environmental Health Officers and the Water Service.

 

 

Dr Tohani

Dr Vinod Tohani, Consultant in Communicable Disease Control

Disease surveillance

Communicable disease surveillance is the collection of information about the number of cases of certain infectious diseases and using the information to monitor trends.

In Northern Ireland there are 35 diseases currently classified as 'Notifiable'. When a general practitioner or other doctor suspects that a patient is suffering from a Notifiable Disease, he or she is legally required to inform the Director of Public Health. The purpose of the Notifications system is to to identify other people who may be at risk, to detect possible outbreaks and to trigger investigation rapidly.

Click here to find a list of the 35 diseases that are currently notifiable along with numbers of notified cases for the SHSSB area and the rest of Northern Ireland by following the link

 http://www.cdscni.org.uk/surveillance/NOIDS

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Infectious Diseases -  Immunisation

Immunisation prepares our bodies to fight serious infections which we may come in contact with in the future. Because immunisation is so successful, it is now rare for children to get serious diseases like measles, diphtheria, polio or tetanus. However, if children are not immunised against these diseases, they will come back again.

From the 4th September, 2006 the routine childhood immunisation programme was changed with the introduction of the pnemococcal (PCV) and combined Hib/Men C vaccine for children. More information can be found in the following leaflet:

Vaccines are now available and offered to all children to protect them against the following diseases:

All parents receive invitations at the appropriate times to have their child immunised. Immunisation for young children usually takes place in the GP surgery or health centre. The immunisations given to children aged 3 to 5 years and 14 to 18 year olds are usually given in school but parents and young people will be notified at the appropriate time by the school doctor/nurse.

Childhood Immunisation Schedule

More information on the immunisations listed can be found in the four leaflets:

The first leaflet is available from health visitors and GPs; the second and third leaflets are available from GPs and Child Health; and the leaflet for teenagers is available from GPs. Copies of these leaflets are available from the Central Health Promotion Resource Service in each Health and Social Services Board Area.

Part of the work of the Public Health Department is to co-ordinate the immunisation programme and make sure the numbers of people being immunised is as high as possible. You can access information about the percentage of eligible babies and children vaccinated against the diseases mentioned above by following this link

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Infectious Diseases – Meningococcal Meningitis and Septicaemia

Meningits is inflammation of the linings surrounding the brain – the meninges. It can be caused by a number of bacteria and viruses. Septicaemia (sometimes called blood poisoning) is caused by bacteria entering the bloodstream and multiplying.

The meningococcal bacteria can cause a severe type of meningits and / or septicaemia. It is most common in babies, children and young adults.

Disease caused by the meningococcal germ needs to be treated urgently. It is important that the public are aware of the symptoms of meningitis and septicaemia.

Knowing the sympoms of meningitis can save lives!

Symptoms in babies:

 

Symptoms in older children and adults

Remember symptoms do not appear in any particular order and some –including the rash- may not appear at all. If you are concerned seek medical advice immediately.

The following leaflets have further information about Meningococcal Disease.

You can get more information on http://www.meningitis.org and at http://www.meningitis-trust.org

Public Health response to a case of Meningococcal Disease

When someone is diagnosed with Meningococcal Disease the doctors treating them inform the Public Health Department very quickly. If this happens at weekends or at night, there is always a Public Health doctor on call. People who have been in very close contact with the patient (living in the same house or boyfriend / girlfriend of the patient) are offered Antibiotics. Only those who have very close prolonged contact are given antibiotics.

Often parents of children in the same class as the patient worry that their child could be at risk and wonder if they should get antibiotics. However, the risk to other children in the same class is extremely small. Many children and adults have “good” bacteria in their nose and throat that offer some protection against the “bad” meningococcal bacteria. Giving antibiotics widely could kill the good bacteria and could do more harm than good.

The best thing parents can do to protect their children is to know the symptoms and seek medical advice if they are concerned. 

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With effect from the 1st April 2009 the responsibilities of the Southern Health and Social Services Board have transferred to the new Health and Social Care Board, Business Services Organisation and the Public Health Agency.

This web site will continue to be available for a short period as part of the transitional arrangements but please refer to the new organisation web sites for up to date information www.hscboard.hscni.net; www.publichealth.hscni.net; www.hscbusiness.hscni.net. During this time the existing contact details will remain.