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The Staight Practice Golf Day - Friday 1 July 2011 The weather was glorious again for the fourth annual practice golf day. 16 people played at the Royal Mid Surrey Golf Club and had a very enjoyable day. Hugh Lenon – hot favourite having won the event in the first year – played some classy golf but was not quite on his usual form and the team competition was won by Gordon Buchanan, Philip de Bay, James Stott and Harry Staight. Nearest the pin was Jeremy Samuels who had had quite a long lay-off and had only recently returned to golf. The best Stableford score of 33 points was by James Stott. The longest drive was narrowly won by Guy Staight whose son, Harry, drove further but was off the fairway. Harry retained the trophy with a gross score of 82 and therefore retains the cup. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Measles - 31/5/11 There has been an upsurge in the cases of measles reported to The Health Protection Agency since the beginning of 2011. There have been 275 cases reported between January and April, compared to 33 cases during the same period the previous year. The majority of cases have been around London and the South East and this results from an increase in the number of cases in Europe and relates to travel to and from Europe. It is very likely that the figure will increase over the next few months and it is essential for children and young adults, up to the age of 21, unless they have had measles, to be sure that they have had two doses of MMR. There are no major side effects from the MMR vaccine It is important to stress that measles itself is a dangerous condition with a high rate of possible complications, such as pneumonia, meningitis and encephalitis, and in some cases it can even be fatal. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Vaccination Against Cancer Of The Cervix Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) The peak age for cancer of the cervix is 35-40, and 1000 women die from this each year in the UK. Worldwide, about 250,000 women die each year Since the launch of cervical screening, the incidence of cervical cancer has more than halved with the mortality rate falling from 90 per 100,000 women in1950 to 30 per 100,000 women in 2000. HPV plays a major role in cervical cancer and is present in 99% of cervical cancers. There are over 100 genotypes of which about 20 infect the cervix. It is transmitted by exfoliation, and sexual intercourse is one of the main modes of transmission. Approximately 80% of women will at some stage in their lives have HPV, most will develop immunity and kill the virus but in a minority where the HPV infection persists, mild, moderate or severe cervical precancer develops The vaccine Gardasil protects against CIN disease and cancer of the cervix caused by types 16 and 18. These account for 70% of such cases in the UK. Gardasil also protects against HPV types 6 and 11 which cause 90% of genital warts. The vaccine is highly effective and immunity at the moment has been shown to last for at least five years. It is not yet known if booster injections will be necessary. It has not been possible to establish minimum antibody levels that protect against clinical disease caused by HPV 6, 11, 16 and 18. The vaccine is licensed for women and girls between the ages of 9 and 26. It is particularly useful for girls and young women who have never had intercourse. Having said that, many doctors are now giving the vaccine to women who have had intercourse or it can be accompanied by screening for the virus also. It is important to remember that anyone who has had the Gardasil vaccine should continue to have regular smears in the future. The vaccine consists of 3 vaccinations, spaced out over 6 months, and involves a simple injection into the muscle of either the leg or the upper arm. If you would like further information, please contact Dr Staight or Dr Bealing regarding this.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Prevention of Gout Gout is a very painful condition caused by high levels of uric acid in the blood which then crystallise out into joints, leading to intense pain. New research has shown a link between fructose and attacks of gout. Fructose is a type of sugar present in sugar-sweetened soft drinks and fruit juices. In people who suffer with gout, the higher the intake of fructose, the higher the chance of experiencing attacks of gout. Diet soft drinks are not associated with the risk of gout in men. Other measures can also help:
High purine foods include meat, game, seafood and foods containing yeast, eg Marmite and beer. The main treatment involves anti-inflammatories to reduce the pain and if attacks are recurrent, regular medication with allopurinol can prevent attacks completely. Guy Staight
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