Charles Penn and Anthony Hilton of the University of Birmingham describe various aspects of kitchen hygiene and evaluate the role of new antimicrobial products in reducing the risks of disease in the home environment. Contact lenses are an increasingly popular alternative to spectacles, but as University of Leicester lecturer Simon Kilvington describes, poor hygiene in their use can lead to unpleasant eye infections . Liz Miller, Head of the PHLS Immunisation Division, explores current practice and describes the potential impact of the anti-vaccination lobby on child health. Vaccination has eliminated smallpox and done away with many of the epidemics of infectious diseases that occurred in the past, but there is still a need to develop new vaccines . Philip Minor of the National Institute for Biological Standards and Control describes the scientific difficulties that can be encountered and explains how socio-economic and ethical issues can also affect success.
Influenza is an unpleasant illness which can lead to death, mainly in the elderly.
Douglas Fleming, Director of the Royal College of General Practitioners, describes the current incidence of 'flu, some new methods of diagnosis and recent advances in treatment. In the developed world we tend to take it for granted that clean water will come out of the tap, but in many countries, there is no such luxury as piped water. Peter Wyn-Jones of the University of Sunderland takes a look at the history of drinking water supply , describes some waterborne diseases , reveals how potable water gets to our homes and wonders what the future holds in an era of ever increasing demand. G. Suresh Kumar and Huw Smith describe the various organisms and tell us what to do to avoid catching infections from our furry friends.