Infectious diseases rise

Centre's plaque was unveiled by chief medial officer

The number of cases of many infectious diseases in Northern Ireland has risen sharply.

Statistics from the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety revealed that cases of meningitis had gone up by nearly two thirds in the past three years.

And instances of salmonella increased by a third in the past year.

Measles, mumps and rubella are set to rise because of a decrease in the number of people coming forward for vaccinations.

The figures were released on Tuesday, marking the opening of a communicable diseases research centre at Belfast City Hospital.

Vaccine scares

Experts believe the demand for vaccinations may have decreased because of scare stories about side-effects in the media.

But Northern Ireland's chief medical officer, Dr Henrietta Campbell, said parents should not worry, especially with regard to the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine

Dr Brian Smyth: need to get an MMR vaccine take-up of 95%

"The MMR vaccine is one of the safest vaccines that has ever been developed.

"It's been used for many years, many millions of vaccines have been given. It is a safe vaccine."

Head of the new centre Dr Brian Smyth said vaccines were very important.

"If you have more vaccinated people in a community, it means you've less susceptible people to allow the spread of infection from one to another.

"For things like measles, mumps and rubella, we would really like to get a 95% uptake level."

Monitoring disease

The new communicable diseases centre will monitor the incidences of infections like salmonella, measles, meningitis, tuberculosis, influenza, HIV and AIDS.

Speaking at the opening, Dr Smyth said the research carried out would be crucial in the control of disease in Northern Ireland.

A plaque at the centre was unveiled on Tuesday

"The control of communicable disease involves not just doctors and nurses, but individuals from a wide variety of backgrounds - vets, water engineers, environmental health officers and those working in the food industry.

"Surveillance is about providing information about action.

"The information we compile will be used by the Department (of Health) and others involved in the control and prevention of communicable diseases, to formulate policies aimed at combating these diseases."