Lab tests confirm eight cases

Two "outbreaks" of infectious diseases - rubella and scarlet fever - are being investigated by the Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Department, which has reassured the public there is no cause for alarm.

The department said yesterday laboratory tests have confirmed rubella in three adults and scarlet fever in five children.

The department said the three adults who contracted rubella were aged between 23 and 28 and had not been vaccinated against the disease. Children are usually given a vaccine against rubella when they are 15 months old.

Although rubella - commonly known as German measles - does not usually carry long-term repercussions, it is dangerous if contracted by a pregnant woman, especially in the first trimester of pregnancy. This puts the baby at risk of contracting congenital rubella syndrome, which can cause damage to the developing organs, including malformations of the heart, problems with the spleen and bone marrow as well as eye and ear defects.

Contacted yesterday, department head Charmaine Gauci stressed the importance that all children are given the MMR vaccine, which protects them against mumps, measles and rubella. Women who are either pregnant or trying to have a baby should also make sure they had been vaccinated.

The department said the World Health Organisation recommends surveillance to identify suspected congenital rubella syndrome cases in infants until 11 months old for up to nine months after the end of the outbreak.

It is upping its surveillance of both rubella and the syndrome and has informed all health care professionals to order blood tests if they come across any suspect cases.

With regard to scarlet fever, Dr Gauci said this was not common in Malta, although sporadic cases have occurred over the years. The five children being investigated attend a school in Gozo and are all in the same classroom.

To prevent further infection, other children in the same classroom have been asked not to attend school for the coming few days until tests can be carried out to establish if anyone else is carrying the virus. Tests are due to be carried out today and Dr Gauci said those who test positive and their families will be given treatment. She emphasised that there is no need to test the whole school because the virus is transmitted through close prolonged contact.

Dr Gauci said scarlet fever is cured with antibiotics and, although complications can occur, they are very rare. The department said all the necessary measures were being taken to limit the spread of the diseases.

Dr Gauci said the rubella cases emerged last month but were only confirmed through blood tests on Monday. One case of scarlet fever was identified last week but the "outbreak" was confirmed on Monday. The department was informed of the cases by doctors who had treated the patients.

Figures compiled by the Disease Surveillance Unit show that there have been 57 cases of rubella and nine cases of scarlet fever between 1997 and last June. However, most of the previous cases consisted of individuals and the bug had not spread.

What are rubella and scarlet fever?

Rubella is a very infectious viral illness which is passed on through droplets in the air from the coughs and sneezes of infected people.

According to the UK's National Health System, two of the illness's main symptoms are raised temperature and a distinctive reddish-brown rash.

Rubella can be contracted by anyone, although it is mostly common among young children. It can be serious during pregnancy because it can cause birth development defects to the unborn child. Children who are immunised against rubella are very unlikely to get the disease.

Scarlet fever is an infection caused by a certain type of bacteria and normally occurs after a throat or skin infection. The illness is the rash caused as a complication of the streptococcus bacteria.

Although scarlet fever used to be a very serious disease, the NHS said that most cases today are quite mild. The illness can be passed on through bacteria in airborne droplets from coughs and sneezes.

The characteristic symptom is a fine pinkish-red rash on the body that feels like sandpaper. It may start in one place but soon spreads to many parts of the body.