Information sources and attitudes of Polish migrants accepting or declining vaccination in Scotland

Background

Poland has the lowest EU vaccine confidence scores. The Polish are the largest migrant group in Scotland (91,000) with a high decline rate of nasal influenza vaccination. A new Polish language information leaflet in the 2018 school influenza programme saw consent form return increase but uptake remained low. We compare vaccination attitudes of accepting and declining parents.

Methods

A questionnaire to 365 Polish parents after vaccination asked about the leaflet, vaccination, time in UK and included WHO Vaccine Hesitancy statements. Accepting and declining parents were compared.

Results

128 (37%) responded - 42% of vaccinating and 39% declining parents. 90% were long term UK resident, 72% speak Polish at home. Previous experience had most influence in vaccination decision-making, with social media and personal contacts in Poland and Scotland also key. Decliners were more likely to cite social media than accepters. Concerns about new vaccines, side effects and ’currently uncommon conditions’ are high in the Polish community and decliners hold more negative and scientifically ’incorrect’ opinions. Parents know that Polish and UK immunisation schedules differ for influenza, a condition thought less serious in Poland than UK.

Conclusions

Polish norms strongly influence this migrant group. Differences in how Polish migrants who accept or decline the vaccination respond to vaccine hesitancy statements plus knowing that Polish media and the Polish community shape their views can be used by health authorities to target health messages. It is important to be aware of immunisation status and vaccination beliefs of mobile migrant groups, such as the Polish, to prevent spread of vaccine preventable diseases in Europe. Linking vaccine hesitancy statement responses and behaviour can highlight national characteristics and particular concerns of vaccine hesitant parents. This information could be used to improve vaccine uptake rates among different ethnic minorities.

Key messages

Polish migrant children have low nasal influenza vaccine uptake. Vaccine hesitancy statements show decliners are particularly likely to distrust new vaccines and worry about vaccine side effects. Migrants access Polish social media and information and retain vaccination beliefs and norms post migration. Knowing this allows targeting of information campaigns to increase uptake.

Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) patient notification exercise

Issue

CPE has become endemic in many European countries. Scotland has few locally acquired cases at present and interventions are aimed at minimising transmission of CPE into acute hospital settings.

Description of the problem

NHS Lothian held an incident management team (IMT) following the transmission of CPE in an inpatient setting. Initial management of the incident included informing and screening all inpatient contacts, enhanced infection control precautions and staff education. The IMT considered whether to inform and screen patient contacts who had been discharged. A literature review was carried out and teams in the UK who had considered patient notification exercises for CPE were contacted. This highlighted variation in approach.

The IMT assessed whether a patient notification exercise was required and considered: The need to reduce the risk of CPE transmission in acute hospitals by screening and isolating community contacts on readmission to hospital.The ethics of raising patient anxiety around CPE transmission with limited options for effective treatment.Risk stratification to identify contacts at highest risk.Information Governance: electronic tagging of case notes if patients have not been informed.

Results

The IMT agreed that a patient notification was appropriate. Contacts were risk assessed to determine those at greatest risk of CPE transmission. After speaking to GPs, 33 patients were sent letters. No screening of community contacts was advised unless they were re-admitted to an acute hospital or resided in a care facility. No further CPE reports have been linked to the situation.

Lessons

The IMT worked through the issues systematically to protect the public’s health without infringing their rights. The IMT advised that the Scottish CPE toolkit should be revised to support future Incidents including how to analyse transmission pathways, undertake patient notification exercises and meet public health ethics standards.

Key messages

There needs to be clear guidance on how to manage contacts of patients with CPE once discharged from hospital. Team work between Public health and Infection control is essential in manageing incidents of CPE in hospitals.

Hepatitis E virus is the leading cause of acute viral hepatitis in Lothian, Scotland

Acute viral hepatitis affects all ages worldwide. Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is increasingly recognized as a major cause of acute hepatitis in Europe. Because knowledge of its characteristics is limited, we conducted a retrospective study to outline demographic and clinical features of acute HEV in comparison to hepatitis A, B and C in Lothian over 28 months (January 2012 to April 2014). A total of 3204 blood samples from patients with suspected acute hepatitis were screened for hepatitis A, B and C virus; 913 of these samples were also screened for HEV. Demographic and clinical information on patients with positive samples was gathered from electronic patient records. Confirmed HEV samples were genotyped. Of 82 patients with confirmed viral hepatitis, 48 (59%) had acute HEV. These patients were older than those infected by hepatitis A, B or C viruses, were more often male and typically presented with jaundice, nausea, vomiting and/or malaise. Most HEV cases (70%) had eaten pork or game meat in the few months before infection, and 14 HEV patients (29%) had a recent history of foreign travel. The majority of samples were HEV genotype 3 (27/30, 90%); three were genotype 1. Acute HEV infection is currently the predominant cause of acute viral hepatitis in Lothian and presents clinically in older men. Most of these infections are autochthonous, and further studies confirming the sources of infection (i.e. food or blood transfusion) are required.

Atypical hand, foot, and mouth disease associated with coxsackievirus A6 infection, Edinburgh, United Kingdom, January to February 2014

In January to February 2014, 16 hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) cases were identified in Edinburgh, United Kingdom. All presented with atypical features, with most (n=13) resembling eczema herpeticum or chickenpox. Coxsackievirus A6 (CV-A6) was identified in all the typed cases (n=11). As atypical forms of HFMD associated with CV-A6 are likely to emerge throughout Europe, clinicians should be alert to unusual clinical presentations of HFMD and virologists aware of effective diagnostic testing and enterovirus typing methods.

Can syndromic surveillance data detect local outbreaks of communicable disease? A model using a historical cryptosporidiosis outbreak

A national UK surveillance system currently uses data from a health helpline (NHS Direct) in an attempt to provide early warning of a bio-terrorist attack, or an outbreak caused by a more common infection. To test this syndromic surveillance system we superimposed data from a historical outbreak of cryptosporidiosis onto a statistical model of NHS Direct call data. We modelled whether calls about diarrhoea (a proxy for cryptosporidiosis) exceeded a statistical threshold, thus alerting the surveillance team to the outbreak. On the date that the public health team were first notified of the outbreak our model predicted a 4% chance of detection when we assumed that one-twentieth of cryptosporidiosis cases telephoned the helpline. This rose to a 72% chance when we assumed nine-tenths of cases telephoned. The NHS Direct surveillance system is currently unlikely to detect an event similar to the cryptosporidiosis outbreak used here and may be most suited to detecting more widespread rises in syndromes in the community, as previously demonstrated. However, the expected rise in NHS Direct call rates, should improve early warning of outbreaks using call data.

Monitoring the uptake of HIV testing among first attendees at GUM clinics in the East of England region

This study was conducted to determine the extent to which genitourinary medicine clinics in the East of England region are monitoring the uptake of HIV testing. Ninety-four per cent of GUM clinics in the region offer HIV testing to all new patients. The uptake varied around the region, but all clinics are able to monitor uptake and the majority of clinics can audit uptake. The overall regional uptake has already exceeded the target for 2004.

Outcome of invasive pneumococcal disease: a UK based study. Oxford Pneumococcal Surveillance Group

METHODS

The records of 106 children aged less than 5 years with invasive disease caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae were reviewed.

RESULTS

The clinical manifestations were meningitis (37%), upper respiratory tract infection (24%), pneumonia (19%), and occult bacteraemia (18%). One child died and seven had persisting neurological impairment. Five serotypes caused 83% of disease and 92% of the serotypes are included in the seven valent conjugate vaccines which are undergoing trials.

CONCLUSIONS

These data suggest that S pneumoniae infection is associated with a low case fatality rate but substantial morbidity in the UK.

A large outbreak of cryptosporidiosis associated with a public water supply from a deep chalk borehole. Outbreak Investigation Team

Three hundred and forty-five confirmed cases were reported in a large waterborne outbreak of cryptosporidiosis in North Thames in the spring of 1997. The descriptive epidemiology, attack rates, a case control study, and the detection of oocysts in the water suggested strongly that the outbreak was associated with drinking unboiled tap water that originated from one deep chalk borehole. The 746,000 people living in the water distribution area were advised to boil their drinking water. Investigations did not reveal how oocysts entered the borehole. This is the first published report of a cryptosporidium outbreak caused by filtered borehole water and we believe it to be the largest outbreak due to groundwater to have been reported. Borehole supplies are regarded as relatively pure sources of water and this outbreak has implications for the future monitoring and treatment of drinking water extracted from boreholes.

Out-patient medical care in Edinburgh for IDU-related HIV

Using combined medical and drug clinics, by the end of 1990 we had initiated contact with 511 HIV positive individuals, 75% injection drug use (IDU) related. We have previously reported a significant reduction in the number of missed appointments from 1985-89 following the introduction of methadone and an all day clinic, but between 1989 and 1990 the appointment default rate rose from 17 to 25%. A significant percentage increase in missed appointments was, however, only seen in those not attending the all day clinic (chi 2(3) = 121.3, p < 0.001). An analysis of the patients missing appointments during 1989-90 revealed that 36-45% of patients attending each year missed only 1 or 2 appointments, that the majority of missed appointments each year were accounted for by less than 20% of the patients, around 60% of these patients missed appointments in both years and that only 2% of patients attending both years consistently miss 3 or more appointments per year. Laboratory monitoring of HIV, that is at least one sampling episode in a year, was achieved, however, in 92-95% of the patients attending each year. The annual number of patients lost to follow-up varied between 7 and 11% per year, but did not change significantly over time, whilst the cumulative number of HIV infected individuals lost to follow-up after 5 years was only 14%. Between 1986 and 1990 self-reported reduction in IDU was more likely in HIV positive than negative individuals; the number of HIV positive individuals who reported injecting for more than 50% of the year fell from 40 to 5% (chi 2(4) = 15.23, p < 0.01) whilst the number who reported at least one injection per year fell from 51 to 23% (chi 2(4) = 62.06, p < 0.001). By comparison amongst non-HIV-infected patients the percentage who reported opiate use for more than 50% of the visits during a year rose from 54% in 1986 to a peak of 70% in 1989 (chi 2(4) = 10.22, p < 0.05) and those who reported opiate use at least once during the year rose from 57% in 1986 to a peak of 75% in 1989 (chi 2(4) = 14.3, p = 0.006). Combined medical and drug clinics from 1986 to 1990 together with a multi-disciplinary team approach to medical care was successful in delivering health care to HIV-infected injection drug users.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Sudden death in HIV-infected drug users. Presumptive overdose in an HIV-positive narcotic addict

We report the case of an HIV-positive drug user who was found dead in a room in which were discovered tablets of dihydrocodeine and amitriptyline. There had been past episodes of drug overdose which was suspected of being the cause of death on this occasion. However toxicology analysis did not support this diagnosis and necropsy revealed a severe desquamative interstitial pneumonitis and HIV encephalitis. The need to investigate thoroughly the cause of sudden death in all HIV-positive drug users is emphasised.

Diagnosis of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in a population of HIV-positive drug users, with particular reference to sputum induction and fluorescent antibody techniques

Between June 1990 and May 1991, 200 sputum inductions were examined by a fluorescent antibody test (FAT) for Pneumocystis carinii (PC). A total of 164 specimens were negative, 36 were positive and a further 20 inductions were unsuccessful. All patients with a positive result, seven of whom had normal chest X-rays and blood gas analyses, were treated for Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) with symptomatic response. Two additional patients were diagnosed as PCP during the study period. No patient with a negative or unsuccessful result developed clinical PCP during that admission, although six did develop 10 episodes of PCP (FAT positive for PC on induced sputum samples) within 3 months of a negative result. Sputum induction was well tolerated by patients and not associated with adverse events. Sensitivity of FAT for PC was 95% and specificity was 100%. These results may in part be because most of the patients were injection drug users (IDUs) who often suffer from chronic productive cough, and also because sputum induction in all cases was supervised by an experienced physiotherapist.

Value of bacteriological screening of urine samples from HIV infected patients

A retrospective analysis of the results of bacteriological examination of all urine samples from adult HIV infected patients admitted to the City Hospital, Edinburgh during the year 1 April 1988 to 31 March 1989 was made to assess the usefulness of this investigation in HIV positive patients without clinical evidence of urinary tract infection.

Changing patterns of malaria in south-east Scotland: implications for practitioner awareness and prophylactic advice

The medical records of all 229 patients with malaria admitted to the Edinburgh City Hospital between 1969 and 1988 were studied retrospectively. A total of 137 were from Africa, 44 from the Indian subcontinent, 19 from the Far East, 18 from New Guinea, 5 from the Middle East and 3 from South America. The number of yearly admissions rose markedly after 1983, mainly due to an increase in Plasmodium falciparum cases. Ninety-four cases (15 with severe parasitaemia) mainly from Kenya and Nigeria were due to P. falciparum infection and 99 to P. vivax. There were no deaths. A seasonal distribution of onset of fever in patients with P. vivax infections originating from the Indian subcontinent showed that most patients presented during the summer. Prophylaxis had generally been irregular or non-existent but many compliant patients may have been receiving an inadequate dose of chloroquine on a mg/kg body weight basis. General practitioners are likely to see at least one case of malaria every 4 years. They are encouraged to seek advice from a specialist unit whenever necessary whether before or after their patient travels abroad. Travellers, in particular to Kenya and Nigeria, and Asian immigrants to the UK returning on holiday to their country of origin should be strongly advised to take regular prophylaxis including on return to the UK.

The spectrum of chest infections in HIV positive patients in Edinburgh

In a retrospective analysis of all known HIV-positive patients admitted to the City Hospital before November 1989, 208 patients accounted for 612 admissions, 72% being injection drug users (IDUs). One hundred and eighty admissions (29%) were for chest-related disorders, and this was the commonest reason for admission. Unlike other U.K. centres where more than 50% chest problems are due to Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP), only 27% of our chest admissions were for PCP. Fifty-four percent of chest admissions were for bacterial chest infections (BCIs), the commonest organism isolated being Haemophilus influenzae. Despite the fact that most (50/97) of these admissions were in patients with 'asymptomatic' HIV disease (CDC classification 2 and 3), 50% had radiological pneumonia, 43% were hypoxic, 28% were hypercapnic and the average duration of hospitalisation was 10 days. BCIs were more common in HIV-positive IDUs when compared with HIV-negative IDUs, other HIV-positive patients and the general age-matched population. Medical provision for IDU-related HIV disease should take into account the high rate of BCIs and of hospital admissions in patients who do not yet have CDC stage 4 disease.

Psittacosis presenting with erythema-marginatum-like lesions--a case report and a historical review

A 14-year-old boy with psittacosis who developed skin lesions consistent with erythema marginatum is reported. This association has not been described previously.

Clinical, biochemical, and radiographic effects of aminohydroxypropylidene bisphosphonate treatment in rheumatoid arthritis

A placebo controlled, double blind study of aminohydroxypropylidene bisphosphonate (APD), given by monthly intravenous infusion, was conducted in 40 patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Biochemical markers of increased bone resorption, such as fasting urinary calcium/creatinine ratio and hydroxyproline/creatinine ratio, were suppressed significantly in the APD group to approximately 50% and 60% of the pretreatment level respectively, and serum calcium fell transiently after the first APD infusion. There was no significant effect on disease activity in either the APD or placebo groups as judged by clinical (grip strength, morning stiffness, visual analogue score) or laboratory (haemoglobin, platelet count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C reactive protein) criteria. An exception was the articular index which improved to a similar degree in both groups, falling from (mean (SEM] 13.8 (1.8) to 7.2 (2.2) in the APD group and from 13.7 (1.9) to 6.8 (1.5) in the placebo group. Radiological progression occurred to a similar degree in both groups as assessed by the Sharp index (mean (SEM) 86 (13.1) v 95 (12.9)-APD group; 103 (15.1) v 110 (15.8)-placebo group), but there was no significant change in the Larsen index in either group (mean (SEM) 53 (4.2) v 57 (3.8)-APD; 62 (5.8) v 63 (5.6)-placebo). The lack of effect on radiological progression in the APD group indicates that focal erosive disease may either have progressed as the result of a non-osteoclast related mechanism, or that the intensity of bone resorption was too great to be inhibited by the doses of APD used. The biochemical response to APD presumably reflected inhibition of bone resorption at other sites, suggesting that further studies of the effects of bisphosphates on periarticular and systemic osteoporosis in rheumatoid arthritis may be of the interest.

High prevalence of unrecognized osteomalacia in hospital patients with rheumatoid arthritis

A consecutive series of 31 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) admitted over a 6-month period to the rheumatology unit of a District General Hospital were screened for possible osteomalacia. Transiliac bone biopsies were performed in 14 patients where the above diagnosis was suspected, yielding four (12.9%) cases of osteomalacia. All affected patients were elderly women who had a poor diet and were virtually housebound. Additional risk factors in two cases were partial gastrectomy and occult coeliac disease. Biochemical screening was of limited value in differential diagnosis, since elevated serum alkaline phosphatase levels were noted in both osteomalacic and non-osteomalacic patients. This study indicates that, in the West of Scotland at least, osteomalacia is a common, easily overlooked and treatable cause of morbidity in elderly patients with RA.