Eric Walker

Whooping cough in Glasgow 1969-80.

Summary Six hundred and forty-seven cases of whooping cough admitted to Glasgow hospitals over an 11 year period have been studied. Coughing paroxysms were usually but not invariably associated with a whoop and vomiting. Cyanotic attacks were common. The worst of the illness was over on average after 35 days. Complications included secondary chest (26 per cent) and ear (6 per cent) infection, apnoeic attacks (5 per cent) and convulsions (4 per cent). Four children under one year of age died, three in the first and one in the third epidemic. The state of pertussis immunisation of the children is compared with that of a group of children with measles. The comparison suggests that the vaccine is effective in reducing the number of children who require admission to hospital with whooping cough.

Adrenal failure in fulminant meningococcal septicaemia : a clinical reality

Current teaching is that adrenal failure is not a feature of meningococcal sepsis, and that cortisol levels are generally elevated. A case of fulminant meningococcal septicaemia in a 14-year-old boy is described. This patient had low/borderline cortisol levels, which normalised within some days.

The seasonal pattern of Plasmodium vivax malaria in Glasgow

The relationship between exposure to Plasmodium vivax infection and the onset of fever in travellers returning to Glasgow from the Indian subcontinent is presented. Infection appears more likely in those who travel during the second half of the year and following the monsoon. Most attacks of malaria begin during the summer months in Scotland irrespective of the dates of travel.

An outbreak of Echovirus type 4 infections and its implications for diagnosis and management in general practice

Altogether, 133 patients with Echovirus type 4 infection were studied. Presenting illnesses and reasons for referral to hospital were analyzed. The reason for admission was commonly concern about meningitis, but also an unexplained rash or sore throat. More research is needed in general practice in order to clearly elucidate the spectrum of disease caused by Echoviruses.

Cytomegalovirus infection in pregnancy with maternal hepatitis, neurological disease and foetal chondrodysplasia punctata

Summary A woman in early pregnancy with active cytomegalovirus infection developed hepatitis, a psychiatric illness, and a prolonged peripheral neuropathy with some evidence of upper motor neurone damage. The foetus delivered at 20 weeks gestation showed evidence of chondrodysplasia punctata (Conradi-Hunermann type). The relationship of the infection to the womans illness and its possible role in the aetiology of chondrodysplasia punctata are discussed.