Programme coordinator: Prof Angus Nicoll
Deputy Coordinator: Dr Rene Snacken
Introduction:
The programme covers the three groups of influenza affecting humans and related issues such as influenza vaccination:
- Seasonal influenza
- Influenza vaccination
- Avian influenza
- Pandemic Influenza
- Influenza antivirals and antiviral resistance
See all related health topic sites listed in the “Related health topic” box to the right.
It does so by drawing on different areas of expertise from ECDC including such as animal health and veterinary science, behavioural science and communication, epidemic intelligence, epidemiology, health economics, health planning, modelling, pandemic preparedness, public health, surveillance, vaccines and virology. It does this with contributions from external experts and specialized organizations.
Aims:
The programme aims to support European Bodies and the Member States in the enactment of recent European Council Recommendations and Communications on seasonal influenza immunisation and pandemic preparedness so hence Europe achieves:
- a decrease in the morbidity and mortality that is due to seasonal influenza, especially through increased national and individual use of immunisation and better use of personal health measures;
- improved preparedness for a pandemic at regional (European), European Union, Member State and local level drawing on the guidance from WHO and lessons learnt from the 2009 pandemic;
- a robust scientific base for the mitigation of influenza in Europe, including a balanced and relevant research programme.
A range of activities directed towards achieving these targets are ongoing or have been planned as part of a multiannual working plan. These activities are carried out in collaboration with Member States, the European Commission, WHO and other relevant international bodies and European networks.
Objectives and Outputs in 2010/11:
Specific objectives and outputs for this period include:
- Keeping its ‘avant-garde’ position in relation to epidemic intelligence, to the screening and research on news, developments and selected scientific publications in the area of Influenza;
- Maintenance of the Community Network of Reference Laboratories for Human Influenza in Europe (CNRL), the coordination of which is through management and monitoring of specific contracts;
- Managing and monitoring of influenza sequencing database contracts;
- Supporting the ‘Recommendation on seasonal influenza immunization’ with the Commission (see SIIP Project below);
- Coordination of the European Influenza Surveillance Network (EISN) and preparation of various papers and reports including a 2009/10 post-pandemic influenza surveillance report with recommendation, an ECDC influenza report 2009/10 and a revised Forward Look Risk Assessment;
- Coordination of the Surveillance and Studies in a Pandemic (SSIAP) project with emphasis on what was;
- Studying the behavioural aspects during the 2009 influenza A(H1N1) pandemic via a seminar, especially looking at health care workers and immunisation;
- Producing the Weekly Influenza Surveillance Overview (WISO) and organising the Annual EISN meeting;
- Evaluating the ECDC’s 2009 pandemic response as well as collecting and analysing the different responses to the pandemic implemented at Member State (MS) level.
Priorities and Key Milestones for 2010/11 and beyond - Seasonal Influenza Immunization Project (SIIP) and Pandemic Preparedness:
The Influenza Programme is fully supporting the ‘COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION of 22 December 2009 on seasonal influenza vaccination’ (2009/1019/EU) along with the European Commission (EC). The Terms of Reference (TOR’s) of this project are the following:
- Routine Influenza Surveillance and Epidemic Intelligence for Influenza (ECDC + Member States (MS));
- Pilot a monitoring and evaluation tool for seasonal influenza vaccination programmes in (ECDC + MS);
- Provide action guides covering all the MS's in order to monitor influenza prevention and control programmes, followed by a meeting of programme coordinators to report after the exercise (ECDC + MS);
- Training course: Development of Public Health Programmes on Prevention and Control of Seasonal Influenza (ECDC and contractor plus volunteer MS);
- ECDC Communication (Web-site and Weekly Influenza Digests) and communication on activities for influenza vaccination;
- Measure of the influenza A(H1N1) 2009 pandemic vaccine effectiveness in the EU (I-MOVE – ECDC Epiconcept + MS);
- Seasonal influenza vaccine coverage monitoring (VENICE (Vaccine European New Integrated Collaboration Effort) – ECDC+ MS);
- Produce evidence based advice on risk groups for seasonal influenza vaccination in Europe (special emphasis on children and pregnant women) (ECDC and contractor);
- Forward look to ECDC influenza work, developing coordinated and joint plans;
- Contributing to estimates of vaccine safety, including the expansion and expedition of the VAESCO (Vaccine Adverse Event Surveillance and Communication) consortium project to cover influenza pandemic vaccine safety specific issues (VAESCO + ECDC contributing to the work of EMA).
Partners:
In order to achieve the consecution of these objectives, ECDC closely collaborates with the European Commission, EMA and the WHO Regional Office for Europe.
Additional information about the programme:
As mentioned above (SIIP Project), an Influenza Digest is published weekly informing on influenza news worldwide as well as disseminating scientific and public health advances concerning influenza. Furthermore, articles on influenza are regularly published in the ECDC journal EuroSurveillance.
There is a global epidemiological dissemination of information too on human and avian influenza; in addition, we publish a weekly output from the European Influenza Surveillance Network (EISN) which reports on the epidemiological situation in Europe for seasonal influenza, named Weekly Influenza Surveillance Overview (WISO).
The reader can comment by writing to influenza@ecdc.europa.eu, which is also the email address for contacting the influenza team.
Other reports, including information from event based surveillance (Epidemic Intelligence) and indicator-based surveillance (EISN) are produced daily and weekly for the MS’s and the EC.
Extensive epidemiological and public health information, guidance and relevant documents can be found within the influenza dedicated areas on the ECDC website.
These include:
Contact:
To contact the influenza team go to: influenza@ecdc.europa.eu