Weekly releases (1997–2007) - Volume 12, Issue 24, 14 June 2007

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) in England has been investigating an outbreak of measles in the Irish Traveller community. Between 23 March and 26 May 2007, 92 cases have been reported from six of England’s nine regions: London, East of England, South East, South West, East Midlands, and Yorkshire and the Humber.

This is an update on the preliminary report [1] of an outbreak of measles in Norway among a travelling community from England.

Since the beginning of 2007, the Health Protection Agency (HPA) Laboratory of Enteric Pathogens (LEP) has reported on 51 human isolates of Salmonella Senftenberg in England and Wales. This represents a significant rise compared to less than 10 in the same time period in 2006 and 2005.

In this study we investigated the prevalence of the new variant of Chlamydia trachomatis (nvCT) in the collection area of Södra Älvsborg county hospital. Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) is one of the most widely spread STDs (Sexually Transmitted Diseases).

Between February and May 2007, five confirmed cases of Staphylococcal Scalded Skin Syndrome (SSSS) were identified in full-term healthy infants born at a maternity unit in Ireland (hospital A). This hospital serves a population of 340,000 people, with over 4,500 babies born annually.

Diseases caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) are a major public health problem worldwide. Infections can often lead to serious invasive pneumococcal diseases (IPD) that include pneumonia, meningitis and febrile bacteraemia.