Infectious Disease

• Home
• Health and Social Care
• Health Improvement
• Infectious Disease

What you can do and where can you get help and information

Flu

The flu, which occurs every year during winter, can effect 10% of the population. So it makes good sense to contact your GP and get your flu and pneumonia inoculation and also find out about the help and support that is available. The inoculation is particularly important for older people who are susceptible to the flu bug, but those who may suffer from health problems such as asthma, diabetes or serious heart of lung conditions, are more at risk.

Winter is a particularly dangerous time for the elderly, but a few simple precautions should see the cold season pass off without concern.

Keeping warm and dry is key to keeping flu at bay. If you are worried about paying for extra heat during the winter months, there are benefits available such as the annual winter fuel payment (£200) for older people. Cold-weather funding and Cold Busters grants which offer 100% grants for up to £4,000 for energy efficiency works for qualifying residents. Please ring for details whilst latest leaflet is being prepared for publication. (020 8547 5535 or 0208 547 5536). The grants will help you cut your heating bills and stay warmer in the winter.

Keep your cupboards well stocked with food and make yourself plenty of hot drinks during the day, and you may find it useful to keep a Thermos flask by your bed in case you wake up feeling cold. If you do need support or information about coping with the winter, you may wish to get in touch with Age Concern Kingston upon Thames - telephone 020 8942 8256.

Avian 'Bird' flu'

If you are worried about pandemic flu please read our frequently asked questions or log onto the Department of Health website - both links are at the bottom of this page.

Tuberculosis

What is tuberculosis?

Tuberculosis, or TB as it more commonly known, is a contagious disease. A type of bacteria called Mycobacterium tuberculosis or M. tuberculosis causes it. It most commonly affects the lungs but TB can attack almost any part of the body.  Left undiagnosed, untreated, or not treated properly, tuberculosis can kill.

Multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains of the disease can occur when patients do not take TB treatment properly. Having MDR-TB is more difficult to treat than fully drug-sensitive tuberculosis.

Once inhaled:

• The germs may be destroyed by the body’s immune system and cause no problems.
• It is also quite possible to be infected with the TB bacteria, but not be ill or infectious. This is called ‘latent TB infection’. It is not harmful in its latent form, an individual will not display any symptoms, and the infection cannot be passed on to others.
• The germs may cause an illness a few days to a few months later.

World Health Organization estimates that a third of the world’s population is latently infected. It is estimated that of those with latent infection, only 10% will go on to develop active disease.

How do you catch TB?

It is spread from person to person through the air. When people with TB in their lungs (called pulmonary tuberculosis) cough, laugh, sneezes, sing or even talk, the germs that spread TB may be spread into the air. If another person breathes in the germs there is a chance that they will become infected with tuberculosis. To catch TB from another person, you must be exposed to it for a considerable time. Brief contact does not usually lead to TB, although screening may be advised.

Symptoms of TB

The symptoms are:

• Cough (lasts 3 weeks or longer, when TB is present in the lungs)
• Chest pain
• Coughing up sputum and possibly blood
• Fatigue or weakness
• Weight loss and no appetite
• Chills
• Fever
• Night sweats
• Lumps in the neck (enlarged lymph nodes)

Who is at greatest risk from TB?

Anyone is susceptible to becoming infected with TB, however some people are more at risk of going on to develop active TB disease. They are;

• Close contacts: People who share the same breathing space, for example, those that we live with. This also includes institutions such as prisons, hospitals and nursing homes.
• Poverty is one of the main drivers of TB disease. Good nutrition is vital to maintaining health. Social problems such as homelessness, poor and overcrowded living conditions, alcoholism and the use of illegal drugs can all increase the risk of someone going on to develop active TB disease.
• Some people with health problems that affect the immune system such as HIV/AIDS, diabetes, certain cancers and people taking drugs for other existing medical conditions are also at risk.

Investigations

To ascertain if you have TB, you may need to have the following:

• Chest x-ray
• Skin test (Mantoux)
• Sputum Specimen
• TB blood test

Treatment of TB

The good news is that TB and MDR-TB are both curable. Treatment with a combination of special drugs takes a minimum of 6-9 months.If you have TB/MDR-TB and start on treatment you will feel better and become non-infectious quite quickly. This doesn’t mean that you can stop taking the medication. The TB germ takes a long time to kill because it replicates very slowly and may be hiding somewhere. It is important to ensure that all of the TB bacteria are killed so the disease does not come back.

Some TB drugs do have side effects. This is because the drugs are working. If you are having problems taking TB medication tell you doctor or TB specialist. They will be able to help you to take your medication.

Keep taking your medication as you are told to and one day you won’t have to take them again. It is worth staying on track with treatment, as it will probably save your life. TB/MDR-TB can become part of your past, rather than your future with proper adherence.

Stopping the infection spreading

The infection can be prevented from spreading by covering the mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing, disposing used tissues carefully and then washing your hands.

Vaccination

Nearly all children will have had a vaccination against TB, called the BCG, either in the first few weeks after birth, or at about the age of twelve. BCG vaccination does not give complete protection against TB, but it does help the body’s defences to fight it off.

What Kingston Council and partners are doing

Childhood infections/ MMR
Kingston PCT has one of the best immunisation programmes in London, as well as one of the best in the country, according to latest immunisation figures from The Information Centre for health and social care.

Contact

For further information about TB, please contact:

TB Clinical Nurse Specialist
020 8934 3598 020 8934 2077

Health Protection Agency
South West London Health Protection Unit
Public Health Department
Lupin Ward
Jasmine Tower
Springfield University Hospital
Glenburnie Road
London
SW17 7DJ

Telephone:  020 8682 6132
The Health Protection Agency website has more information.

The South West London (HPU) is responsible for:

• Communicable disease control
• Infection control
• Chemical incidents and environmental hazards
• Health protection aspects of emergency planning

It provides specialist health protection advice as well as operational support on all health protection matters to NHS trusts, local authorities, community health services (including schools and social services), and the general public.

South West London Protection Unit
Lupin Ward Jasmine Tower
Springfield Hospital
Glenburnie Road
Tooting
London SW17 7DJ

Tel: 020 8682 6132 /5930
Fax: 020 8682 5936
Email: londonswHPU@hpa.org.uk

To contact a public health doctor in an emergency out of hours; in the

evenings, at weekends or during bank holidays, please phone:

Tel: 020 8390 4008