This protocol describes a survey undertaken to acquire a snapshot of the distribution of Clostridioides difficile strains in tertiary acute care hospitals in the European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EEA) in 2022–2023
Version 6.1 is the final protocol for the third EU-wide point prevalence survey in acute care hospitals (PPS 2022–2023). It contains important changes compared to protocol version 5.3 (PPS 2016–2017), including on healthcare-associated COVID-19.
This protocol is to ensure standardisation of definitions, data collection and reporting procedures for hospitals participating in the national/regional surveillance of healthcare-associated infections in intensive care units across Europe.
Version 5.3 is the final protocol for the second EU-wide point prevalence survey (PPS 2016–2017). It contains major changes compared to protocol version 4.3 (PPS 2011–2012). Compared to versions 5.1 (January 2016) and 5.2 (May 2016), the current version only contains a few corrections, editorial changes and clarifications.
The aim of this document is to highlight measures that can effectively reduce the risk of importation and local transmission of pathogens transmitted by Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus. The main diseases of concern in this context are Zika, dengue, chikungunya and yellow fever.
This protocol is the final ECDC point prevalence survey (PPS) validation protocol, which was adapted according to the findings of the pilot validation study and discussed with experts from Member States at a meeting in London on 5 March 2012.
In May 2012 a collection of five strains of Haemophilus spp was sent to 28 participating reference laboratories in the IBD-labnet surveillance network for quality assurance testing. The laboratories were asked to characterise the five strains by performing standard laboratory protocols for the methods usually used by the laboratory for: species identification, biotyping and serotyping by serological methods and/or PCR.
The results of this EQA are published in the this report.
The protocol provides a standardised methodology to Member States and hospitals in response to article II.8.c of Council Recommendation 2009/C 151/01 of 9 June 2009 on patient safety, including the prevention and control of healthcare-associated infections. It also integrates the main variables of the ESAC hospital PPS protocol, thereby providing support to Council Recommendation 2002/77/EC of 15 November 2001 on the prudent use of antimicrobial agents in human medicine.
Current childhood vaccination schedules are the result of historical tradition, compliance with provision of health services and national vaccine registration. They have been designed on the basis of different needs related to how the healthcare system – but also the education system – is organised at national level.