Other Health

Bacterial Meningitis is a serious infection in children. The most common types of bacteria that cause meningitis are Haemophilus influenzae type B(Hib), meningococcal and pneumococcal bacteria. In Australia group B and C strains of meningococcal cause the most disease with group B causing over 90% of meningitis in WA. Currently a meningococcal C vaccine is given at 12 months of age. Group Y is currently rare in Australia but causes one third of meningococcal cases in North America. Hib disease used to be the most common cause of meningitis but this is now prevented with routine vaccination in babies.

Antibiotics are the most effective treatment but death still occurs in 5% of cases and another 20% are left with permanent disabilities such as cerebral palsy, amputations, learning difficulties and deafness.

>> Links

The Meningitis Centre

The Amanda Young Foundation

Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) has shown to be the main cause of cervical cancer in women. Over 75% of sexually-active women and men will be infected with HPV at some stage during their lives. Women may only know they have been infected with the virus when it shows up during a routine Pap test.

There are 40 HPV genotypes that affect the genital tract. Of these, 15 genotypes (HPV 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 56, 58, 59, 68, 73 & 82) are associated with the development of cervical cancer. HPV 16 & 18 are known to cause 70 to 80% of all cervical cancers.

Gardasil and Cervarix vaccines have been developed to protect young girls and women against HPV types 16 & 18. Gardasil also protects against HPV types 6 & 11 that cause genital warts.

Influenza or the 'flu is caused by a highly contagious virus spread by coughing and sneezing. It is often considered a mild disease, slightly worse than a cold, but 'flu kills millions of people, including children, around the world. Symptoms include chills, sweating, headache, cough and generalised muscle and joint pains. In rare cases, 'flu may lead to serious complications such as pneumonia or inflammation of the brain or heart. Children are two to three times more likely than adults to get sick with the 'flu and be hospitalised. Children are also thought to be very important in the spread of the 'flu virus in the community.

Avian Influenza or 'bird flu' is an infectious disease of animals (usually birds) caused by some strains of the infulenza A virus. Human infection with these influenza A types is rare but in 2003, the largets and most severe bird 'flu outbreak in history began in South East Asia, caused by the H5N1 subtype of the Influenza A virus. Of the 313 human cases of bird 'flu infection to date (15 June 2007,WHO) there have been 191 deaths. If this virus changes to spread easily from human-to human, then it is likely that it will cause a pandemic where the whole population is at risk of getting the disease as no-one has any immunity to this strain of influenza virus.

Recurrent Ear Infections

Pneumococcal bacteria are the most common cause of childhood ear infections and mainly occur in children under 2 years of age. The pneumococcal bacteria are carried in the nose and throat of healthy adults and children, and can be passed on by droplets in the air. Not all children who come in contact with this bacerium will get sick.

Biofilm is formed when bacteria stick to a surface and cover themselves with a protective layer of slime. You can see this occur on glass vases that have held flowers for several days. Biofilm can also form in the human body such as on infected artificial joints, and in the airways of children with cystic fibrosis. It has also been found in the ears and tonsils of some children with infections. In this Biofilm structure, the bacteria are well protected from the body’s immune defences and are up to 1000 times more resistant to antibiotics. This may explain why some children have recurrent or chronic ear, nose and throat (ENT) infections that are not able to be cured by antibiotics.