Meningococcal disease is caused by Neisseria meningitidis, a bacterium with human carriers as the only reservoir. It is carried in the nose, where it can remain for long periods without producing symptoms.
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 issue of the ECDC Communicable Disease Threats Report (CDTR) covers the period 5 - 11 November 2023 and includes updates on SARS-CoV-2 variants, an overview of respiratory virus epidemiology in the EU/EEA, West Nile Virus, measles, diphtheria, Middle East respiratory virus syndrome, chikungunya, and dengue.
This document is an update of the joint guidance that was published in 2011 by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA).