First annual meeting of the food- and waterborne diseases surveillance network in Europe

Over 1–2 October 2008, food- and waterborne disease public health experts from across the European Union met at European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control to discuss the needs for future surveillance of six priority diseases: salmonellosis, campylobacteriosis, STEC/VTEC infection, listeriosis, shigellosis, and yersiniosis. For each disease working groups provided their opinion on specific questions regarding surveillance objectives and variables, reporting frequency, regular reports, current mechanisms to detect early dispersed international clusters and outbreaks (later referred to as the urgent inquiry network), molecular typing, and the training needs for country experts.