Mumps cases on the rise

NSW Health is reminding young adults to check their immunisation status, particularly before they travel overseas amid a rise in the number of cases of mumps being reported in NSW.

Director of Communicable Diseases for NSW Health, Dr Vicky Sheppeard said there were 15 reported cases of mumps during May, most were young adults, and clustered in several regions of NSW. As not everyone who has mumps will see a doctor and have a test, it is likely that there are many more cases of mumps in the community not notified to NSW Health.

Dr Sheppeard said initial symptoms of mumps include:

• Fever
• Loss of appetite
• Tiredness and headache followed by
• Swelling and tenderness of the salivary glands, especially near the angle of the jaw.

“To prevent the spread of mumps, children and adults should have two doses of the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine also provides good protection against measles and rubella,” Dr Sheppeard said.

Mumps was once a common childhood disease, but most children are now protected due to high vaccination rates. However, a significant number of young adults may have missed receiving two doses of MMR vaccine in childhood, as two doses were not routinely offered until the 1990s.

“Many people in their 20s, 30s and early 40s will not be immune, so it is particularly important they check their status with their doctor and get vaccinated if they are not sure,” Dr Sheppeard said. “Mumps can be quite a serious infection for adults. Complications can include swelling of the testicles in males, and rarely inflammation of the brain, the lining of the brain and spinal cord, pancreatitis and hearing loss. Mumps infection during pregnancy can result in miscarriage.” “Although very rare, mumps can also cause sterility in males.”

Mumps takes two to three weeks to develop after exposure to an infected person, and people are infectious a week before and up to nine days after swelling of the glands. Mumps is spread when a person breathes in the virus that has been coughed or sneezed by an infectious person, or by direct contact with their saliva.

“This is a timely reminder to parents that immunisation is the best protection against mumps. Children should be vaccinated on time with MMR vaccine at 12 months and again before they turn four years of age,” Dr Sheppeard.

For further information please contact your local Public Health Unit or visit the factsheet on NSW Health website: http://www0.health.nsw.gov.au/factsheets/infectious/mumps.html

Primary Health Care with a strong profit rise

MEDICAL centre owner Primary Health Care has lifted its first-half profit by 50 per cent and forecast a rise in its full-year earnings of up to eight per cent.

Primary Health Care made a net profit of $69.5 million in the six months to December 31, up from $46.3 million in the same period in the previous year. Earnings and profit margins continued to grow in the six months to December, despite GP patient numbers remaining weak due to the cautious economic mood, Primary Health Care said.

The company also operates pathology and imaging centres, where earnings and margins also improved over the six months to December 31, it said. The company’s earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) in the six months to December 31 were $186.1 million, up 12 per cent on the previous corresponding period. It expects EBITDA for the year to June 30 to be in the range of $370 million and $380 million, which compares to the previous year’s $351.1 million.

“Strong underlying demand and a high quality, extensive infrastructure footprint should continue to provide revenue growth, while further benefits from economies of scale and operating efficiencies are expected to result in EPS (earnings per share) growth for the year to 30 June 2013 of 20 to 25 per cent,” Dr Bateman said today.

Primary Health Care declared a fully-franked interim dividend of 6.5 cents per share, up from five cents at the same time in the previous year.