Weekly releases (1997–2007) - Volume 6, Issue 30, 25 July 2002

Between 1998 and 2000 the number of cases of infectious syphilis in England more than doubled, largely driven by several localised outbreaks. These outbreaks suggest a resurgence of unsafe sexual behaviour among both heterosexual and homosexual people in England. They also emphasise the importance of sustained multidisciplinary public health action in this area, according to an article published in last week’s BMJ (1). The general public, certain groups at risk, and relevant health professionals should be aware of the risks of acquiring syphilis and of the symptoms and signs of acute infection.

By the end of June 2002, a total of 124 cases of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) had been reported in the United Kingdom (http://www.doh.gov.uk/cjd/stats/jul02.htm). In order to monitor the underlying trend in vCJD incidence, quarterly analyses that estimate the underlying trend are performed. The models fitted to the data enable short term predictions for the expected number of deaths in the next year, as well as an estimate of the total number of individuals with symptom onset who are yet to be identified.