The Doc Replies

Would it help to give my inhaler to someone who’s having an asthma attack? I know there are different types and wouldn’t like to give the wrong one.

I would very strongly advise against giving inhaler to somebody with an undiagnosed breathing problem. A full clinical assessment would be required in order to diagnose an asthma attack. This would involve history, where possible, as well as examination and sometimes some other more in-depth breathing tests. Whilst giving someone else your inhaler to use might give them a little bit of immediate relief it might delay their seeking medical attention with an unknown diagnosis.

Has scarlet fever been eliminated in the UK?

You may be confusing this with some other illness such as smallpox or even rubella which is more or less in eliminated in the UK. Scarlet fever is a rash caused by a streptococcus bug which typically causes throat infections. Sometimes, as part of tonsillitis, the toxin can get into the blood stream and cause the classic rash of scarlet fever. This is still relatively commonly seen in the GP’s office in the UK.

Can I spread my athlete’s foot to my family?

Probably not. Athlete’s foot is a fungal infection. We all have fungus on our skin and it particularly thrives in a warm and moist environment. For this reason it tends to flare up on certain parts of the body, most typically between the toes. Once one has a fungal infection it can occasionally spread to other areas of the body, but it is very rare that it would spread from one person to another.