§ Mr. PikeTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of(a) toxocariasis and (b) toxoplasmosis have been recorded in England and Wales in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [22122]
429W
§ Mr. HoramThe numbers of laboratory reports for England and Wales of toxocariasis and toxoplasmosis to the public health laboratory service's communicable disease surveillance centre for each year from 1991 to 1995 are shown in the table.
Year Toxocariasis Toxoplasmosis 1991 33 636 1992 23 580 1993 25 454 1994 25 627 19951 38 322 1 Data for 1995 are provisional,but are unlikely to change significantly. From the limited data received in recent years, the CDSC has not noted any significant change in the number of toxocariasis infections reported.
On toxoplasmosis, the CDSC received an annual average of around 750 laboratory reports between 1982 and 1991, and an average 524 in each year between 1991 and 1995. From 1982, numbers remained fairly constant until 1989. Since 1990, with the exception of an increase in 1994, numbers have continued to decline.