All links accessed on May 2 2025.

1. British Society for Immunology. ‘British Society for Immunology response to recent rise in measles cases in England’. 16 January 2024.  https://www.immunology.org/news/british-society-immunology-response-recent-rise-measles-cases-england

2. UK Health Security Agency. ‘Infectious diseases impacting England: 2025 report’. 25 March 2025. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/infectious-diseases-impacting-england-2025-report

3. NHS England. News. ‘Searches for NHS advice on childhood illnesses surge in 2024’. 11 January 2025. https://www.england.nhs.uk/2025/01/searches-for-nhs-advice-on-childhood-illnesses-surge-in-2024/

4. NHS Health A to Z. https://www.nhs.uk/health-a-to-z/

5. NHS Conditions A to Z. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/

6. UKHSA. Notifiable disease and how to report them. Last updated 29 April 2025. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/notifiable-diseases-and-how-to-report-them

7. UKHSA. Chickenpox as a notifiable disease: information for health professionals. 15 April 2025. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/chickenpox-as-a-notifiable-disease-information-for-health-professionals

8. UKHSA. Notifiable diseases: last 52 weeks. Last updated 9 April 2025. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/notifiable-diseases-last-52-weeks

9. UKHSA. Notifications of infectious diseases (NOIDs). Last updated April 9 2025. https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/notifications-of-infectious-diseases-noids

10. NHS Inform. Infections and poisoning. https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/infections-and-poisoning/

11. European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). Public health topics - Diseases A to Z. https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/all-topics

12. NHS Conditions A to Z. Chickenpox. Page last reviewed 31 January 2025. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/chickenpox/

13. NHS Inform. Infections and poisoning. Chickenpox. Last updated 25 June 2024. https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/infections-and-poisoning/chickenpox/

14. NHS Conditions A to Z. Hand, foot and mouth disease. Page last reviewed 10 May 2024. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hand-foot-mouth-disease/

15. NHS Inform. Infections and poisoning. Hand, foot and mouth disease. Last updated 31 October 2024. https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/infections-and-poisoning/hand-foot-and-mouth-disease/

16. AM Guerra et al. StatPearls. ‘Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease’. National Library of Medicine. Last update 4 March 2023. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK431082/

17. TravelHealthPro. Hand, foot and mouth disease. National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC). https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/disease/65/hand-foot-and-mouth-disease

18. NHS Conditions A to Z. Measles. Page last reviewed 21 February 2022. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/measles/

19. NHS Inform. Infections and poisoning. Measles. Last updated 11 April 2025. https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/infections-and-poisoning/measles/

20. ECDC. Infections disease topics. Measles. Factsheet about measles. Page last updated 28 November 2023. https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/measles/facts

21. NHS Conditions A to Z. Mumps. Page last reviewed 24 September 2021. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/mumps/

22. NHS Inform. Infections and poisoning. Mumps. Last updated 27 June 2023. https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/infections-and-poisoning/mumps/

23. ECDC. Infections disease topics. Mumps. https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/mumps

24. ECDC. Infections disease topics. Mumps. Factsheet about mumps. Page last updated 28 November 2023. https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/mumps/facts

25. NHS Conditions A to Z. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Page last reviewed 5 July 2024. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/respiratory-syncytial-virus-rsv/

26. NHS Inform. Infections and poisoning. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Last updated 1 May 2025. https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/infections-and-poisoning/respiratory-syncytial-virus-rsv/

27. ECDC. Infections disease topics. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/respiratory-syncytial-virus-rsv

28. NHS Conditions A to Z. Rubella (german measles). Page last reviewed 23 May 2022. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/rubella/

29. NHS Inform. Infections and poisoning. Rubella. Last updated 9 April 2025. https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/infections-and-poisoning/rubella/

30. NHS Conditions A to Z. Slapped cheek syndrome. Page last reviewed 18 April 2024. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/slapped-cheek-syndrome/

31. NHS Inform. Infections and poisoning. Slapped cheek syndrome. Last updated 29 July 2024. https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/infections-and-poisoning/slapped-cheek-syndrome/

32. NHS Conditions A to Z. Scarlet fever. Page last reviewed 23 December 2024. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/scarlet-fever/

33. NHS Inform. Infections and poisoning. Scarlet fever. Last updated 23 June 2023. https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/infections-and-poisoning/scarlet-fever/

34. NHS Inform. Infections and poisoning. Streptococcus A (strep A). Last updated 1 May 2025. https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/infections-and-poisoning/streptococcus-a-strep-a/

35. NHS Conditions A to Z. Whooping cough. Page last reviewed 21 March 2023. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/whooping-cough/

36. NHS Inform. Infections and poisoning. Whooping cough. Last updated 30 October 2024. https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/infections-and-poisoning/whooping-cough/

37. ECDC. Infections disease topics. Pertussis. Factsheet about pertussis. Page last updated 28 November 2023. https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/pertussis/facts

38. ECDC. Infections disease topics. Varicella. Factsheet for health professionals about varicella. Page last updated 4 December 2023. https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/varicella/facts

39. National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD). Congenital Varicella Syndrome. Last updated 9 April 2025. https://rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/congenital-varicella-syndrome/

40. SM Bhavsar & C Mangat. StatPearls. ‘Congenital Varicella Syndrome’. National Library of Medicine. Last update 6 March 2023. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK568794/

41. UKHSA. Chickenpox: public health management and guidance. Last updated 7 April 2025. https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/chickenpox-public-health-management-and-guidance

42. ECDC. Infections disease topics. Rubella. Factsheet about rubella. Page last updated 1 December 2023. https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/rubella/factsheet

43. NHS England, UKHSA, NICE, RPS, RCP & RCGP. ‘Group A streptococcus in children Interim clinical guidance summary for case management’. 30 December 2022. https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/PRN00080-Interim-clinical-guidance-summary-for-case-management-for-prophylaxis-please-refer-to-community-conta.pdf

44. Community Pharmacy England. Pharmacy First service. Published on 16 November 2023, updated on 7 April 2025. https://cpe.org.uk/national-pharmacy-services/advanced-services/pharmacy-first-service/

45. UKHSA. Parvovirus B19: guidance, data and analysis. Published 16 June 2012, last updated 2 August 2024 https://www.gov.uk/guidance/parvovirus-b19

46. P Ostergaard. ‘Shedding light on the cause of a dangerous condition that can develop in unborn babies’. British Heart Foundation. 1 April 2029. https://www.bhf.org.uk/research-projects/an-investigation-into-the-aetiology-and-genetics-of-fetal-oedemahydrops-with-a-focus-on-lymphaticrelated-hydrops

47. CDC (US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease (HFMD). 7 May 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/hand-foot-mouth/signs-symptoms/index.html

48. NHS Conditions A to Z. Complications – Mumps. Page last reviewed 24 September 2021. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/mumps/complications/

49. UKHSA. Scarlet fever: symptoms, diagnosis and treatment. Updated 29 March 2019. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/scarlet-fever-symptoms-diagnosis-treatment/scarlet-fever-factsheet

50. NHS Health A to Z. Medicines A to Z. Who can and cannot take ibuprofen for children -Brand names: Nurofen for Children, Calprofen, Brufen. Page last reviewed 28 June 2022. https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/ibuprofen-for-children/who-can-and-cannot-take-ibuprofen-for-children/

51. K Stone et al. ‘BET2: NSAIs and chicken pox’. Emergency Medicine Journal. Published online 20 March 2018. 35:66-68. https://emj.bmj.com/content/35/1/66

52. Health Improvement Scotland Right Decision Service. Varicella zoster infection (chickenpox): management in children (1008). Last reviewed 3 March 2025. https://rightdecisions.scot.nhs.uk/shared-content/ggc-clinical-guidelines/paediatrics/infectious-disease/varicella-zoster-infection-chickenpox-management-in-children-1008/

53. F Moshfegh et al. ‘Rapidly progressing necrotizing fasciitis with chickenpox infection: A case series’. Journal of Pediatric Surgery Case Reports. January 2025. Volume 112; 102925. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213576624001532

54. UKHSA. Routine childhood immunisations from 1 January 2025. Updated 22 January 2025. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/routine-childhood-immunisation-schedule/routine-childhood-immunisations-from-february-2022-born-on-or-after-1-january-2020

55. UKHSA. ‘New RSV vaccine could prevent 5,000 infant hospitalisations’. 13 August 2024. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-rsv-vaccine-could-prevent-5000-infant-hospitalisations

56. NHS Health A to Z. Pregnancy. Whooping cough vaccination in pregnancy. Page last reviewed 24 March 2023. https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/keeping-well/whooping-cough-vaccination/