Scots cases of scarlet fever and whooping cough soar

Cases of scarlet fever and whooping cough soar

The number of patients suffering scarlet fever has soared almost threefold, to the highest level in recent history, and a significant increase in whooping cough, particularly among babies, is also being monitored by the country's official infection monitoring agency.

The latest figures from Health Protection Scotland show that, during 2008, 852 patients were diagnosed with scarlet fever, an illness more commonly associated with the 19th century, compared with 289 last year.

The latest figures from Health Protection Scotland show that, during 2008, 852 patients were diagnosed with scarlet fever, an illness more commonly associated with the 19th century, compared with 289 last year.

The 2008 figure goes off the scale tracking rates of the disease this century. According to the data, the number of people infected has not risen above 400 since at least 2002.

Dr Jim McMenamin, consultant epidemiologist for Health Protection Scotland, said scarlet fever spread in waves with peaks every three or four years and it was too early to say whether the latest surge was over.

However, he added that the illness was no longer such a killer. "We do not want anyone ever to run into the problems of the past," he said.

"In the 1920s and 1930s, there were a lot of people who suffered long-term complications from scarlet fever. They went on to develop rheumatic heart disease, and that is something which is exceptionally uncommon now."

Exactly why the childhood illnesses have increased is not known. Scientists are unaware of any underlying reasons behind the upsurge.

Symptoms include a very sore throat and the pinkish-red rash which gives the infection its name. Young children in particular may also suffer from fever, vomiting, and diarrhoea. Dr McMenamin said adults could also feel very tired and debilitated by the illness.

While children between the ages of four and eight are most commonly affected, in the week which ended December 5, doctors in Scotland found two cases in babies under one, three cases among toddlers aged one to four, two cases among school-aged children, another case of a woman aged 15 to 20, and an adult.

NHS laboratories have confirmed 85 cases of whooping cough so far this year, compared with 51 up to the same date last year. Of these patients, 21 were under one, compared with 13 in 2007.

Last month, doctors at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh reported the deaths of a one-month-old boy and a six-week-old girl from whooping cough. It is thought the babies caught the infection from someone in their family. Infants are first vaccinated against whooping cough at two months.

In the British Medical Journal, the Edinburgh paediatricians argued giving parents and older siblings a booster vaccine against whooping cough should be considered to protect newborns.

A spokeswoman for Health Protection Scotland described whooping cough as a "nasty illness". It is an infection of the airway that carries air to and from the lungs and the main symptom is a hacking cough often followed by a sharp intake of breath that sounds like a "whoop".

The spokeswoman said: "We have seen an increase in whooping cough across all age groups. We need to keep a very careful eye on this - whether it is rising overall and whether there are more cases in the newborn age category because they will have to have caught their whooping cough from someone."