Chickenpox:

Viral infection causing itchy, blister like rash on the skin. No specific treatment as virus is self-limiting. May be reactivated later in life as shingles. Can be severe if contracted by babies, or immunocompromised children or adults.

(On national immunisation schedule, pregnant women should seek healthcare advice)

Transmission: (contact and droplet) coughing sneezing and contact with weeping blisters.

Symptoms: fever and spots with blisters. Incubation period: 10-21 days. Contagious period: 1-2 days before symptoms and 1 week from appearance of rash or until all blisters have dried.

Hand, foot and mouth disease:

a mild viral illness that causes fluid filled blisters, no specific treatment and virus is self-limiting.

Transmission: (droplet) coughing, sneezing, and poor hand washing.

Symptoms: Fever, flu like symptoms and rash on soles, palms and in mouth. Incubation Period: 3-5 days. Contagious period: Until blisters have dried.

Measles:

a highly contagious viral illness can be life threatening especially for those immunocompromised.

(Notifiable disease, on national immunisation schedule, pregnant women should seek healthcare advice)

Transmission: (airborne and contact) Coughing and sneezing and direct contact.

Symptoms: runny nose and eyes, cough and fever, followed by rash. Incubation period: 7-18 days. Contagious period: 4 days before rash till 5 days after rash.

Complications: ear infections (which can cause permeant hearing loss), pneumonia, seizures, encephalitis (rare but can lead to serious brain injury or death), premature birth, low birth weight or stillbirth during pregnancy.

Rubella (German measles):

viral infection can be life threatening especially for those immunocompromised.

(Notifiable disease, on national immunisation schedule, pregnant women should seek healthcare advice)

Transmission: (airborne and contact) coughing and sneezing, also direct contact with infected person. Symptoms: Fever, swollen glands and rash on face, scalp and body. Intubation period: 14-23 days. Contagious period: 7 days before symptoms appear and 7 days after appearance of rash.

Complications: bleeding problems, testicular swelling, inflammation of nerves, congenital rubella syndrome (pregnancy), miscarriage (pregnancy), encephalitis, low platelet count, ear infections.

Whooping cough (pertussis):

highly contagious bacterial infection, distinctive by a cough that sounds like loud whoop. Can be serious for babies and young children. (Notifiable disease, on national immunisation schedule, pregnant women should seek healthcare advice)

Transmission: (droplet) coughing. Symptoms: runny nose, persistent cough, vomiting and breathlessness. Intubation period: 5-21 days. Contagious period: 6 days after exposure until approx. 3 weeks after onset of cough.

Other infections:

Giardia:

intestinal infection caused by giardia parasite.

(Notifiable disease)

Transmission: (faecal-oral route) undercooked food, contaminated water, direct spread from an infected person or animal.

Symptoms: stomach pain, fever, nausea, diarrhoea and/ or vomiting. Intubation period: 3-25 days. Contagious period: until free from symptoms for 48 hours.

Salmonella:

common intestinal infection caused by the salmonella bacteria. (Notifiable disease)

Transmission: (faecal-oral route) undercooked food, contaminated water, direct spread from an infected person or animal. Symptoms: stomach pain, fever, nausea, diarrhoea and/ or vomiting. Intubation period: 6-72 hours. Contagious period: up to several weeks after free from symptoms.

Hepatitis A:

highly contiguous liver infection caused by the hepatitis A virus. (Notifiable disease)

Transmission: (faecal-oral route) contaminated food or water, direct spread from infectious person. Symptoms: nausea, stomach pains, general sickness, followed by jaundice. Intubation period: 15-50 days. Contagious period: approx. two weeks before symptoms appear and up to one week after onset of jaundice.

Norovirus: intestinal infection of the norovirus.

Transmission: (contact) contact with secretions. Symptoms: nausea, Diarrhoea and/ or vomiting. Intubation period: 1-2 days. Contagious period: from time of onset of symptoms until 48 hours after last episode of symptoms.

Rotavirus: highly infectious intestinal infection of the rotavirus.

(On national immunisation schedule)

Transmission: (faecal-oral route) direct spread from infected person. Symptoms: nausea, Diarrhoea and/ or vomiting. Intubation period: 1-2 days. Contagious period: prior to

Influenza and influenza-like illness (ILI):

respiratory infection of the influenza virus or other similar virus. Can be serious and fatal in immunocompromised groups.

(vaccine-preventable)

Transmission: (droplet) coughing and sneezing. Symptoms: sudden onset of fever with cough, sore throat, muscular aches and headache. Intubation period: 1-4 days (average 2 days). Contagious period: typically, 1 day before onset of symptoms until 5-7 days after onset of symptoms (usually when well).