Page last updated: 27-NOV-2007

Infectious Diseases


Statistical Publication Notice

27 November 2007

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Notifiable Infectious Disease Statistics   


INTRODUCTION

Data on notifiable infectious diseases are returned to ISD Scotland by NHS Boards under the terms of statutory public health legislation which covers diseases such as mumps, measles, rubella, tuberculosis and food poisoning. 
 
Notifications are made upon diagnosis and, as such, are a clinical suspicion of an infection.  They do not necessarily indicate the presence of the disease itself.  GPs are encouraged to seek laboratory confirmation of infection where possible.  The number of notifications, therefore, can differ from the number of laboratory confirmed cases

KEY POINTS

  • The number of mumps notifications for 2006 has fallen by almost 50% compared to 2005.
  • There were increases in both the number of notifications for measles and rubella in children.
  • Chicken pox notifications for children increased from 13,874 in 2005 to 14,891 in 2006.
  • There was a slight increase in the number of tuberculosis (Tb) notifications made in 2006.
  • 7,335 food poisoning notifications were made in 2006, an increase of 417 from 2005.

INTERPRETATION

  • Data for Argyll and Clyde, Highland and Greater Glasgow NHS boards reflect the configuration prior to the dissolution of Argyll and Clyde on 1 April 2006.  This allows for board trend comparison across all years.

DETAILED FINDINGS

  • Across all ages, the number of mumps notifications fell from 5,698 in 2005 to 2,917 in 2006 (a fall of 48%) although they are still at a much higher level than for years preceding 2004.  For under 15 year olds, the number of notifications fell from 679 in 2005 to 398 in 2006.
  • Childhood measles notifications increased from 169 in 2005 to 218 in 2006.
  • Notifications of rubella in under 15 year olds increased from 126 cases in 2005 to 142 cases in 2006.
  • Following a significant decrease in the number of chicken pox notifications for children in 2005, there has been an increase from 13,874 in 2005 to 14,891 in 2006.  The number of notifcations however, is still considerably less than those recorded in 2004.
  • 414 notifications of tuberculosis (Tb) were made in 2006, 25 more than in 2005.  This total is made up of 260 pulmonary Tb notifications (an increase of 16 cases from 2005) and 154 non-pulmonary Tb notifications (an increase of 9 cases from 2005).
  • 7,335 food poisoning notifications were made in 2006, an increase of 417 from 2005.  These figures include notifications of campylobacter, a common causative bacterium.
  • Confirmed notifications of meningococcal infection for 2006 showed little change from 2005 figures (140 and 139) respectively.

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MAIN CONTACTS:


Jennifer Boyd
Senior Information Analyst
0131 275 6167
 
Frank Clarke
Information Analyst
0131 275 6148
frank.clarke@isd.csa.scot.nhs.uk
 
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GLOSSARY:

Infectious disease: A clinically manifest disease of humans or animals arising through transmission of an infectious agent (synonym: communicable disease).
 
Notifiable Infectious Disease: One of a range of infectious diseases that are required to be notified in writing upon each diagnosis by a general practitioner under the terms of The Public Health (Notification of Infectious Diseases) (Scotland) Regulations 1988
 
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PRE-RELEASE ACCESS TO THIS PUBLICATION WAS GIVEN TO:

Scottish Government Health Directorate
Health Protection Scotland
NHS board chief executives
 
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HISTORY OF THIS PUBLICATION:

Last Published:  28 November 2006
Next Due:  This data collection waws transferred to HPS in June 2007 and they will be responsible for publishing statistics in the future.
Data Available Since:  Paper - 1975, Electronic - 1982

 


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