Influenza is a disease of public health importance due to the substantial seasonal morbidity and mortality and the high pandemic potential of its aetiologic agents, influenza viruses.
ECDC initiated a survey of EU/EEA countries to evaluate preparedness planning and risk mitigation initiatives implemented at the country level for people exposed to highly pathogenic avian influenza virus A(H5N1).
This protocol sets out measures for the follow-up and management of individuals exposed to infected animals and human cases of avian influenza, and for the public health management of possible and confirmed human cases.
The aim of this survey was to review the expertise, capabilities and capacities for detection and characterisation of avian and other zoonotic influenza viruses in national influenza reference laboratories in the European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EEA), in members of the European Reference Laboratories for influenza (ERLINet), and in EU Enlargement policy countries.
Despite good access to effective antibiotics, Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococci) is still a major cause of disease and death in both developing and developed countries. Pneumococci are the main cause of bacterial respiratory tract infections, such as pneumonia, middle ear infection, and sinusitis, in all age groups.
This Reporting Protocol describes data collection for influenza, COVID-19, and other respiratory viruses (such as RSV or new viruses of public health concern) in the EU/EEA and wider WHO European Region. Data collection is integrated for most datasets in line with the operational considerations for respiratory virus surveillance in Europe.
This document presents the core protocol for ECDC studies of CVE and IVE against symptomatic laboratory-confirmed influenza or SARS-CoV-2 infection, respectively, at primary care level.
In 2020, the European Commission stressed the importance of continuously monitoring the safety and effectiveness of vaccines in the EU/EEA during the post-authorisation phase, with particular emphasis on COVID-19 vaccines in the context of the ongoing pandemic.
This document describes how to strengthen surveillance in hospital settings for the identification of severely affected patients infected with avian influenza virus in the EU/EEA.