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Euroroundups since 2007
Euroroundups encourage collaboration between European countries. The format is suited to comparing and contrasting the experience of several countries regarding an aspect of communicable disease surveillance, prevention or control. Please refer to the instructions.
Collection Contents
21 - 24 of 24 results
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Results of a Europe-wide investigation to assess the presence of a new variant of Chlamydia trachomatis
More LessIn 2006, a new variant of Chlamydia trachomatis was reported in Sweden. Three countries – Ireland, Norway, and Denmark – have detected the variant to date, but very few cases in total have occurred. The European network for STI surveillance (ESSTI) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) assessed the potential spread of the variant in other European countries, and concluded that there is currently no evidence that the variant has spread widely across Europe. However, the variant strain has been reported in between 10% and 65% of infected patients in Sweden. It is too early to tell whether the variant will remain confined to Sweden or whether the number of cases will significantly increase. Enhanced surveillance will need to be continued to address these concerns.
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Update of Clostridium difficile-associated disease due to PCR ribotype 027 in Europe
More LessE J Kuijper , B Coignard , J S Brazier , C Suetens , D Drudy , C Wiuff , H Pituch , P Reichert , F Schneider , A F Widmer , K EP Olsen , F Allerberger , D W Notermans , F Barbut , M Delmée , M Wilcox , A Pearson , B Patel , D J Brown , R Frei , T Akerlund , I R Poxton and Peet TüllRecent outbreaks of Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhoea (CDAD) with increased severity, high relapse rate and significant mortality have been related to the emergence of a new, hypervirulent C. difficile strain in North America, Japan and Europe. Definitions have been proposed by the European Centre of Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) to identify severe cases of CDAD and to differentiate community-acquired cases from nosocomial CDAD (http://www.ecdc.europa.eu/documents/pdf/Cl_dif_v2.pdf). CDAD is mainly known as a healthcare-associated disease, but it is also increasingly recognised as a community-associated disease. The emerging strain is referred to as North American pulsed-field type 1 (NAP1) and PCR ribotype 027. Since 2005, individual countries have developed surveillance studies to monitor the spread of this strain. C. difficile type 027 has caused outbreaks in England and Wales, Ireland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, and France, and has also been detected in Austria, Scotland, Switzerland, Poland and Denmark. Preliminary data indicated that type 027 was already present in historical isolates collected in Sweden between 1997 and 2001.
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Influenza antiviral susceptibility monitoring activities in relation to national antiviral stockpiles in Europe during the winter 2006/2007 season
More LessA Meijer , A Lackenby , A Hay and M ZambonDue to the influenza pandemic threat, many countries are stockpiling antivirals in the hope of limiting the impact of a future pandemic virus. Since resistance to antiviral drugs would probably significantly alter the effectiveness of antivirals, surveillance programmes to monitor the emergence of resistance are of considerable importance. During the 2006/2007 influenza season, an inventory was conducted by the European Surveillance Network for Vigilance against Viral Resistance (VIRGIL) in collaboration with the European Influenza Surveillance Scheme (EISS) to evaluate antiviral susceptibility testing by the National Influenza Reference Laboratories (NIRL) in relation to the national antiviral stockpile in 30 European countries that are members of EISS. All countries except Ukraine had a stockpile of the neuraminidase inhibitor (NAI) oseltamivir. Additionally, four countries had a stockpile of the NAI zanamivir and three of the M2 ion channel inhibitor rimantadine. Of 29 countries with a NAI stockpile, six countries'; NIRLs could determine virus susceptibility by 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) and in 13 countries it could be done by sequencing. Only in one of the three countries with a rimantadine stockpile could the NIRL determine virus susceptibility, by sequencing only. However, including the 18 countries that had plans to introduce or extend antiviral susceptibility testing, the NIRLs of 21 of the 29 countries with a stockpile would be capable of susceptibility testing appropriate to the stockpiled drug by the end of the 2007/2008 influenza season. Although most European countries in this study have stockpiles of influenza antivirals, susceptibility surveillance capability by the NIRLs appropriate to the stockpiled antivirals is limited.
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Travel-associated legionnaires’ disease in Europe: 2005
More LessIn 2005, 755 cases of travel-associated legionnaires’ disease with onset in 2005 were reported to the EWGLINET surveillance scheme by 20 countries. A total of 85.8% of cases were diagnosed by the urinary antigen test, and 37 cultures were obtained. Twenty nine deaths were reported, giving a case fatality rate of 3.8% (down from 5.6% in 2004). Ninety three new clusters were identified, 36.6% of which would not have been detected without the EWGLINET scheme. One hundred and twenty two accommodation sites were investigated and the names of nine sites were published on the EWGLI website. Thirty two sites were associated with additional cases after a report was received to say that investigations and control measures had been satisfactorily carried out. This level of re-offending is greater than in previous years and care should be taken to ensure the guidelines are being properly applied, especially in Turkey.
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