Research and analysis

HPR volume 9 issue 37: news (16 October)

Updated 29 December 2015

1. Ebola virus disease: international epidemiology summary (at 11 October 2015)

As of 11 October 2015, a total of 28,490 clinically compatible cases of Ebola virus disease (EVD) (15,239 confirmed) have been reported associated the West African outbreak, 11,312 of which have died.

In the two weeks prior to 11 October, no new confirmed cases were reported in West Africa. However, initial reports indicate that two new cases have been reported in Guinea for the week commencing 12 October, the first cases reported in this country since 27 September.

A UK survivor of EVD is currently hospitalised in a critical condition in the Royal Free Hospital in London due to late EVD-related complications. As a precautionary measure, close contacts have been offered rVSV-ZEBOV vaccine. This current development does not alter the public health risk assessment for the UK.

Number of new confirmed cases reported per week (12 July to 11 October 2015) in affected countries in West Africa. (Data source: WHO Ebola Situation Report 14 October 2015)

Further information on the epidemiological situation can be found in PHE’s weekly Ebola epidemiological update.

2. Sexually transmitted infections in Europe 2013

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) recently released a new surveillance report, ‘Sexually transmitted infections in Europe 2013’ [1] that describes the epidemiological features and trends of the five STI under EU surveillance: Chlamydia Trachomatis, gonorrhoea, syphilis, congenital syphilis, and Lymphogranuloma Venereum (LGV). It covers the years 2004 to 2013.

Across the European Union and European Economic Area different age groups and risk groups are affected by different STI.

Whilst only 14% of diagnoses of infectious syphilis were seen in young adults (15-25 years of age) in 2013, this age group accounted for almost 39% of gonorrhoea and 67% of chlamydia cases. This not only reflects the prevalence of disease but also testing and screening practices targeted at sexually active young adults, particularly for Chlamydia Trachomatis infections.

The syphilis diagnostic rate has increased since 2010 and diagnoses of gonorrhoea have increased by 79% since 2008, particularly among men in whom diagnoses have almost doubled. These rises have been linked to increased diagnoses among men who have sex with men (MSM).

Sexually transmitted infection surveillance data for England for 2014 were published by Public Health England on 23 June 2015 [2].

The latest HIV data for England are to be released on Tuesday 20 October 2015 [3].

2.1 References

1. ECDC (17 September 2015). “Sexually Transmitted Infections in Europe 2013”.
2. “PHE publishes full annual STIs data for 2014”, HPR 9(22).
3. HIV in the UK official statistics webpage.

3. School closure following formaldehyde contamination

The Health and Safety Executive is investigating the circumstances that led to the evacuation of a primary school in Stafford, central England, earlier this month, after it was confirmed, by an independent industrial hygiene contractor, that high levels of formaldehyde vapour had contaminated parts of the indoor environment of the premises.

As a precautionary measure 420 pupils and 70 members of staff were relocated to alternative sites and incident response measures immediately taken by the local authority with support from the local PHE Centre.

A PHE incident coordination team, established at the time of the closure, chaired by the local PHE director of health protection, coordinated communications with parents, staff and local media. This included a meeting with parents and staff within a week of the closure and the setting up of a telephone helpline; a local media briefing was also held and a county council press release issued. An extensive series of questions and answers were published on the Staffordshire County Council website. The Q&As included an extensive briefing on the short and long term health effects of the exposure.

Complaints about a noxious odour had begun after the school re-opened in early September, after the summer holidays. Subsequently, complaints of nausea, sore throats and coughs arose. Under-floor polyurethane foam insulation had been installed during the summer vacation period.

It was explained that the closure had been necessary to eliminate any risk of further exposure of staff and pupils. Although there had been a potential for exposure, parents were advised that there were unlikely to be long-lasting health effects, even for asthma sufferers, for example. (The principal concern about formaldehyde toxicity relates to the effect of long-term exposure.)