Scarlet Fever Control Research Articles

Use of meteorological parameters for forecasting scarlet fever morbidity in Tianjin, Northern China.

The scarlet fever incidence has increased drastically in recent years in China. However, the long-term relationship between climate variation and scarlet fever remains contradictory, and an early detection system is lacking. In this study, we aim to explore the potential long-term effects of variations in monthly climatic parameters on scarlet fever and to develop an early scarlet-fever detection tool. Data comprising monthly scarlet fever cases and monthly average climatic variables from 2004 to 2017 were retrieved from the Notifiable Infectious Disease Surveillance System and National Meteorological Science Center, respectively. We used a negative binomial multivariable regression to assess the long-term impacts of weather parameters on scarlet fever and then built a novel forecasting technique by integrating an autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) method with a nonlinear autoregressive neural network (NARNN) based on the significant meteorological drivers. Scarlet fever was a seasonal disease that predominantly peaked in spring and winter. The regression results indicated that a 1°C increment in the monthly average temperature and a 1-h increment in the monthly aggregate sunshine hours were associated with 17.578% (95% CI 7.674 to 28.393%) and 0.529% (95% CI 0.035 to 1.025%) increases in scarlet fever cases, respectively; a 1-hPa increase in the average atmospheric pressure at a 1-month lag was associated with 12.996% (95% CI 9.972 to 15.919%) decrements in scarlet fever cases. Based on the model evaluation criteria, the best-performing basic and combined approaches were ARDL(1,0,0,1) and ARDL(1,0,0,1)-NARNN(5, 22), respectively, and this hybrid approach comprised smaller performance measures in both the training and testing stages than those of the basic model. Climate variability has a significant long-term influence on scarlet fever. The ARDL-NARNN technique with the incorporation of meteorological drivers can be used to forecast the future epidemic trends of scarlet fever. These findings may be of great help for the prevention and control of scarlet fever.

The control of Scarlet Fever: BJN 100 years ago

Although uncommon today, Scarlet Fever was a serious infectious disease, often affecting children, which led to serious side effects. We now know that it is caused by a strain of streptococcal bacteria and can be easily treated with antibiotics. The symptoms include a severe sore throat, vomiting, high fever and a rash of tiny red spots on the neck and upper trunk that spreads rapidly. The throat and tonsils appear intensely red, the tongue is furred and often has an appearance which gave rise to the term, ‘white strawberry tongue’, as the surface is covered with a creamy white fur through which bright red spots project. Later, the fur strips off from the edges inwards, leaving a perfectly clean, bright red tongue, to which the name ‘red strawberry tongue’ has been applied.

The Fibrinolytic Activity of Hemolytic Streptococci from Normal and Diseased Throats

Since the report in 1933 by Tillett and Garner' of a fibrinolytic capacity in beta hemolytic streptococci isolated from severe human infections, several investigators have suggested that a test for fibrinolytic activity might be employed as a means of indicating the virulence of such strains. This test, if proved to be reliable, would be valuable in the early differential diagnosis of acute and mild infections, in the detection of carriers, in the diagnosis of scarlet fever, in the examination of contacts and in the examination of patients for quarantine release. Accepting the presence of actively fibrinolytic hemolytic streptococci in severe infections to have been adequately demonstrated, we have made throat cultures from a large number of normal persons and from a number of those suffering with mild infections, in order to determine if actively fibrinolytic strains are ever present in the absence of a severe infection. In view of favorable results from this study we have later investigated the application of the test to the control of scarlet fever. For our first study we chose a group of 10 students who were apparently free from respiratory infections. We made 8 cultures from each student, at weekly intervals, and tested the hemolytic and fibrinolytic activities of all of the beta hemolytic streptococci isolated. It was hoped that observations could be made on the fibrinolytic activity of streptococci isolated during the onset, the height and the convalescent stages of minor respiratory infections as well as during the absence of evident infection. Each throat swab was washed off in about 10 ml. of warm, sterile physiological salt solution, and the suspension was plated out on horse blood agar. After 18-24 hours' incubation if hemolytic, streptococcus like colonies were present, 8-10 were picked into horse meat infusion broth. The resultant cultures were further purified by plating out on blood agar and those which did not prove to be streptococci were eliminated after microscopic examination. Transfers were made into serum broth from which hemolysin titrations were made after 24 hours' incubation, and into infusion broth from which, after 18 hours' incubation, fibrinolytic tests were made according to the Tillett and Garner' plasma clot technic. In this, as well as in later studies, 4 strains of streptococci, originally isolated from severe infections, that were lytic in less than 30 minutes, were used as checks in order to avoid false results due to the use of a resistant plasma. In addition, we obtained one culture from each of 123 persons, who were apparently free from respiratory infections, and tested the fibrinolytic and

RECENT EXPERIENCES IN SCARLET FEVER CONTROL

77IS paper is being presented not so much because the writer has any new scarlet fever control measures to offer, but rather for the purpose of reporting certain experiences following the extensive use of well known control measures during a scarlet fever epidemic in Milwaukee. Even most of the experiences recorded herein are not new, buit very similar to those reported by others. It is necessary for me to limit this report almost entirely to statistics, personal observations, and conclusions, without describing procedures in detail or presenting all reasons for conclusions. The scarlet fever epidemic began in January, 1934; abated temporarily during the latter half of July; recrudesced rapidly in September; and reached its peak for the year in October with 1,041 new cases reported. The 1935 peak was in January, when 1,407 new cases were reported, which number might have been exceeded in February if additional control measures had not been taken. During 1934 there were 5,964 cases of scarlet fever reported with 20 deaths. During the first 6 months of 1935 there were 4,541 cases and 24 deaths reported. When it became apparent during the early months of 1934 that Milwaukee

Urges Scarlet Fever Control by Immunizing

Urges Scarlet Fever Control by Immunizing

Scarlet fever control on modern lines

As the clinical condition known as scarlet fever is merely one of many manifestations of streptococcal infection, its incidence cannot be controlled effectively unless official notification and isolation are applied to all forms of infection by the same causative organism. Although the prevalent type of scarlet fever is a mild disease with a very low direct fatality rate, its complications—and other infections by the same organism—are conditions responsible for serious subsequent morbidity and a high remote fatality. Scarlet fever patients aggregated in multiple-bed wards are exposed to serious risk from secondary infection and complications, especially when the standards of bed-spacing and nursing efficiency are diminished during epidemic periods. Removal to hospital merely for the purpose of isolation is not a necessary measure of control, and there is no evidence of increased risk to patients or contacts when isolation is carried out in the home. The return-case rate after release from hospital isolation is seven times greater than after home isolation. In view of the evidence of the extent of secondary infection in multiple-bed wards, separate cubicles for all patients must be regarded as the ideal form of hospital provision. At present the most practicable method of cubicle isolation is in the home. Routine terminal disinfection does not exercise any appreciable effect in preventing the spread of infection. When scarlet fever patients are isolated at home, routine exclusion of school contacts appears to be unnecessary.

Control of Scarlet Fever by Active Immunisation

This paper deals with the result obtained after testing, by the “Dick” method, the susceptibility of a series of adults to scarlet fever toxin. The toxin used was produced by the Wellcome Physiological Research Laboratory. While various strengths of solutions were tried to begin with from 1:2500 to 1:250, no advantage was found to result from the use of a solution stronger or weaker than 1:1000. The tests were, therefore, carried out with the standard “Dick” toxin as supplied by this firm.

Carriers of Streptococcus Hemolyticus in Relation to Control of Scarlet Fever in Schools

Carriers of Streptococcus Hemolyticus in Relation to Control of Scarlet Fever in Schools

The control of scarlet fever and diphtheria

The control of scarlet fever and diphtheria