Posts about the work of the Health Protection directorate
People are quite rightly increasingly concerned about antibiotic resistant bacteria and the search for new diagnostic tools and medicines, but we must never lose focus on simply preventing these infections from occurring in the first place. Anyone with an interest …
We heard welcome news from NICE recently that a new drug, which effectively treats more genotypes of hepatitis C, has been recommended for use in the NHS. NICE concluded that the once-daily tablet sofosbuvir-velpatasvir was both clinically and cost-effective, and …
Though PHE is best known for having a domestic remit, responding to public health emergencies across the globe is also very much part of what we do as an organisation. And this isn’t just about the work of our world …
Hepatitis B virus is around 50 to 100 times more infectious than HIV. Hepatitis B can be transmitted through unprotected sex, sharing needles, or through direct contact with the smallest amount of blood. Infection is often symptomless but can eventually …
1. It only gets hot enough to be dangerous in countries warmer than the UK Clearly there are many other countries which experience much higher temperatures than the UK, and sometimes many more deaths, for example as witnessed in India …
It’s very likely by now that you’ll be well aware of Zika virus and the current outbreak in South and Central America, and the Caribbean. Zika virus causes mild or no symptoms in the majority of those infected, but the …
It’s European Immunisation Week - a great time to celebrate the achievements of everyone who delivers vaccination programmes and highlight the benefit of vaccines throughout life. This week we’re particularly urging professionals who work with young people/young adults to make …
From exam stress to bugs, bumps and bruises, few students go through university without facing a health problem or two. But the last thing you need is an illness that seriously harms your study or social life, so take a …
There’s a simple reason vaccination is so important - it prevents disease and saves lives. And in terms of disease prevention, only clean water (also considered to be a basic human right) performs better. This week is European Immunisation Week, …
For European Immunisation Week we asked David Green, Public Health England’s immunisations nurse expert, to give us answers to some of the questions he gets asked the most. 1. What vaccines are available free on the NHS? The vaccines available …
