Current trends show both progress and challenges in fighting the spread of drug-resistant bacteria in Europe according to ECDC’s analysis on the state of antibiotic resistance in Europe. Since 2008, ECDC has been coordinating the European Antibiotic Awareness Day (EAAD) – a European health initiative that promotes prudent use of antibiotics. On the occasion of the World Health Day 2011, ECDC Director Marc Sprenger presented the ‘Situation update on antibiotic resistance’ to the European Parliament in Strasbourg.
In his speech today at the Informal Meeting of EU Ministers responsible for health, ECDC Director Marc Sprenger highlighted these challenges and encouraged countries to maintain investment in public health and to work toward smarter and better cooperation.
From 1 April 2011, nearly six years after it became operational, ECDC changes its organisational structure. The reorganisation aims at a greater flexibility towards newly arising priorities and further strengthening the disease-specific work at ECDC.
ECDC has been honoured to receive the 2011 Anders Gustâv Minnesfond Award. The award of SEK 50 000 kr was received by ECDC Director Marc Sprenger in a ceremony at ECDC’s premises in Solna on 30 March.
ECDC Director Marc Sprenger and WHO/Europe Regional Director Zsuzsanna Jakab have signed an Administrative Agreement between ECDC and WHO/Europe during the 8th Senior Officials Meeting of the European Commission (EC) and World Health Organisation (WHO), held in Brussels on 24-25 March 2011.
IGRAs are increasingly being considered for the diagnosis of LTBI, as a replacement to the TST, including travel medicine. As with the TST, many uncertainties remain with regard to the efficacy of the IGRAs. It is therefore essential to secure an accurate understanding of these assays‘ known efficacy, so that they be optimally used and only in context with proven effect.
Travel patterns are an important source of information to be considered when assessing the risk of spread of infectious disease outbreaks. However, local and regional particularities need to be taken into account.
The first annual meeting of the European hepatitis B and C surveillance network takes place on 23-24 March 2011. Since 2009, ECDC has worked on preparing the enhanced surveillance of hepatitis B and C at EU/EEA level by establishing a network for hepatitis B and C surveillance and by carrying out a survey on prevention and surveillance activities in the Member States.
A new report, Tuberculosis surveillance in Europe 2009, a joint publication from ECDC and the WHO Regional Office for Europe to mark World Tuberculosis Day 2011, provides evidence for concern about the spread of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR TB) and the persistence of TB among children.
ECDC is hosting a meeting on childhood TB, in a joint effort to highlight the current situation and to move forward the agenda of childhood TB in the EU and worldwide.
Location:Piperska Muren Conference, Stockholm, Sweden
Organized by:ECDC together with the childhood TB subgroup of the Stop TB Partnership