Immunisation & illness topics

News

UK loses measles-free status: health leaders to renew efforts

The government has set out measures to improve vaccination rates after the UK lost its measles-free status with the World Health Organization.

Immunisation & illness
News

England: School starters at risk of vaccine-preventable diseases

One in seven five-year-olds may not be fully up to date with some routine immunisations, Public Health England (PHE) has cautioned, with the figure rising to around one in four children in London.

Immunisation & illness, Growth and development
News

Sweden: Study connects risk of developing coeliac disease to the amount of gluten children consume

The risk of developing coeliac disease is connected to the amount of gluten consumed by children genetically predisposed to the condition. 

Nutrition, Immunisation & illness
News

Northern Ireland: Pregnant women urged to get pertussis immunisation

Northern Ireland’s Public Health Agency (PHA) has reminded pregnant women to get the whooping cough vaccine, with the latest figures revealing a rise in cases this year.

Immunisation & illness
News

England: HPV vaccination of boys to start

Boys in England are being offered the human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine for the first time as research shows it could prevent more than 100,000 cancers by 2058.

Immunisation & illness
News

Catching the anti-vax bug

As concern grows about the spread of measles worldwide and the role of social media in sharing misinformation on immunisation, journalist Juliette Astrup looks at the scale of the problem and what can be done to combat the anti-vax movement.

Immunisation & illness
News

Australia: Post-vaccination febrile seizures no more serious than other types

Research from the University of Sydney has found the severity of febrile seizures following vaccination is no different from febrile seizures due to other causes, and that the majority of seizures are short-lived, self-resolving and don’t require ongoing treatment.

Immunisation & illness
News

Northern Ireland: boys to be offered HPV vaccine in bid to fight cancer

Boys aged 12 to 13 in Northern Ireland are to be offered a vaccine to protect them against human papillomavirus (HPV) infections and the associated diseases, the Department of Health (DH) has announced.

Immunisation & illness, Growth and development
p12-13_vaccine_istock-916966528.png News

Denmark: MMR vaccine does not cause autism: reconfirmed

The measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine does not cause autism, does not trigger autism in susceptible children and is not associated with clustering of cases following vaccination.

Behaviour, Immunisation & illness
p12-13_painkillers_istock-480082351.png News

UK/Sweden: painkillers in pregnancy do not cause childhood asthma

The risk of children developing asthma does not increase when their mothers take painkillers during pregnancy, a major study has concluded.

Immunisation & illness, Growth and development
News

Wales: diabetes prevalence reaches 7.4%

The prevalence of diabetes is higher in Wales than any other UK country, new analysis by Diabetes UK Cymru shows.

Immunisation & illness
Features

Clinical: get the message on MS

Multiple sclerosis is one of the most common neurological conditions affecting adults. Changeable yet incurable, it can take years to manifest fully. But children can develop it too, writes journalist John Windell.

Immunisation & illness, Growth and development
Jab iStock News

England: social media spreads vaccine misinformation

A report from the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) suggests that social media is stoking misplaced fears about vaccines, including concerns over their side effects.

Health and wellbeing, Technology, Immunisation & illness
News

USA: probiotics don’t help children with acute gastroenteritis

A study across 10 paediatric A&E departments found that giving probiotics to children with gastroenteritis did not help their recovery.

Health and wellbeing, Immunisation & illness
Childs Head iStock Opinion

A brain under siege

Encephalitis may be rare, but when it strikes it can be devastating, and even deadly – especially for children and young people, writes journalist John Windell.

Immunisation & illness, Growth and development
News

Switzerland: nose bacteria may dictate speed of babies’ recovery from their first cold

Babies with a wide variety of different bacteria living in their noses tend to recover more quickly from their first respiratory virus compared with those who have less variety, say researchers.

Health and wellbeing, Immunisation & illness
News

Wales: new records system to paint clearer picture of child health

A new system that ensures every child has an active care record with all their details in one place has gone live.

Health and wellbeing, Immunisation & illness
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