England's Chief Medical Officer, Sir Chris Whitty, has issued a stark warning that common infections in later life can dramatically increase an individual's risk of suffering a heart attack, stroke, or developing dementia.
Landmark Report Calls for NHS Action
In a landmark annual report published on 4 December 2025, Professor Whitty states that the NHS does not take infections in older people seriously enough. He argues that while the immediate danger of illnesses like flu and pneumonia is well-known, their longer-term, knock-on effects on cardiovascular and brain health are being underestimated.
The evidence is now very clear that having an infection increases your risk of a stroke, particularly in the first two weeks afterwards, said Sir Chris during a media briefing. He noted this elevated risk can extend for up to a year following a severe infection.
Broad Range of Infections Pose Threat
The report highlights that a wide spectrum of common winter bugs are implicated. This includes bacteraemia (bacteria in the bloodstream), urinary tract infections (UTIs), pneumonia, and influenza.
Professor Whitty emphasised that the consequences go beyond the illness itself, with some patients left frail and housebound. He pointed out that the great majority of deaths from infections are now in older adults, a trend that necessitates a more systematic approach to prevention, mirroring efforts typically focused on children.
Link to Dementia and Call for Treatment Shift
Furthermore, the Chief Medical Officer presented evidence suggesting that elderly people who suffer a serious infection are more likely to subsequently develop dementia. While it is not yet clear if infections cause or simply accelerate the condition, the association is a major concern.
Professor Whitty stated that older people are currently being "underserved" by the health service. He called for a significant shift in clinical practice, urging doctors to have a much lower threshold for prescribing antibiotics to the elderly compared to younger patients, where rationing is important to combat resistance.
"We need to make sure that when someone has an early infection in older age, that we take it seriously," he asserted. Alongside this, he encouraged all older people to accept NHS vaccine invitations and maintain rigorous hand hygiene.
In the foreword to his report, which provides an independent assessment of public health in England, Professor Whitty wrote that "infectious diseases are the oldest enemy of human health" and warned that complacency is one of the greatest threats to reducing their predictable and serious risks.
