Victorian diseases on the rise in Shropshire

Health workers in the region say there has been an explosion in the number of cases of gout, brought on by obesity and poor diet.

And they are also seeing an increase in cases of malnutrition, especially in older people who are not given the help they need to feed themselves.

Today's figures were obtained through a Freedom of Information request from the Shropshire Star.

Cases of gout in Shropshire have increased nearly eight-fold since 2005, while cases of scarlet fever have quadrupled and malnutrition doubled.

• Star comment: A glimpse of the bad old days as Victorian diseases increase

Public health experts say lifestyle changes and an explosion in the number of people who are overweight or obese is partly to blame for the increase.

A total of 135 people were admitted to either Royal Shrewsbury Hospital or Telford's Princess Royal in 2005/06 with either gout, TB, measles, malnutrition, whooping cough, scurvy, mumps, rickets, scarlet fever, diptheria or typhoid fever.

By 2013/14, according to the figures, that number had rocketed to 899 - and it has already reached 649 for 2014/15 since April this year.

Gout is the major contributor, accounting for 106 of the 135 hospital admissions in 2005/06 and 857 out of 899 in 2013/14.

The figures show there have been nearly 3,000 hospital admissions for gout since 2005 – with more than 2,000 of those in the last three years.

Professor John Ashton, president of the Faculty of Public Health, said: "When you look at something like gout it may be that this comes down to an ageing population, coupled with a steep rise in obesity and a population that is drinking more alcohol. Statistics like this raise an awful lot of questions."

The FOI also reveals nearly 200 people have been admitted to hospital for malnutrition since 2005, with number of cases in 2013/14 (29) more than doubling compared to those admitted in 2005/06 (14).

Around one-third of those who were hospitalised for malnutrition were aged 60 and over in Shropshire between those years, according to the figures.

Better reporting may explain increase:

A number of different factors could be contributing to figures showing an increase in Victorian-era diseases in Shropshire, including better reporting of illnesses, according to a GP.

Dr Roger Henderson, senior partner at Linden Hall in Newport, said he believed more accurate modern-day diagnoses were behind a rise in the number of reported cases of the likes of gout and scarlet fever.

But he said the statistics did not represent what he was seeing in his own surgery.

Figures obtained through a Freedom of Information request revealed the number of people visiting Shropshire hospitals with diseases such as gout, TB and measles had risen.

Cases of gout have increased nearly eight-fold since 2005, while cases of scarlet fever have quadrupled and malnutrition doubled and public health experts have said lifestyle changes and a rise in obesity and the number of people who are overweight could be partly to blame.

Dr Henderson said: "It is not something I am seeing to be honest. We have not noticed a major upsurge in measles, gout seems to be at a consistent level – it is relatively common but we are not seeing a large up swing. TB is more of a problem than it was but that applies more to inner city areas than rural places.

"We are getting better at diagnosing diseases, so the figures might be because there is better reporting of the diseases, making it a more accurate picture. But from my surgery I am not seeing a dramatic increase. I suspect a large part of it would be down to more correct disease reporting."

Councillor Richard Overton, chairman of Telford and Wrekin Health and Wellbeing Board, said: "The national children immunisation programme aims to prevent many common and serious infectious diseases in children.

"There is a high uptake of all childhood vaccines in children in Telford & Wrekin and Shropshire, including measles, mumps and rubella, with over 90 per cent of infants and children under five years vaccinated.

"Since October 2012 pregnant women have been offered whooping cough vaccine to provide protection for their newborn babies, again there are high levels of vaccination across the county.

"Scarlet fever was once dangerous, but antibiotic treatment means it is less common and serious nowadays, 90 per cent of cases are in children under 10 years.

"Outbreaks occur across the country, often in schools and nursery setting. If scarlet fever is suspected GP advice should be sought promptly.

He added: "Schools are encouraged to promote good hand hygiene practices within daily routines for pupils and staff to prevent scarlet fever and other infections spreading.