Prevalence data from sources such as population surveys can be a useful complement to case based surveillance data for hepatitis B. Case-based surveillance has limitations as most diagnosed cases are chronic in nature and detection of cases depends largely on testing practices. Prevalence data can therefore contribute towards a fuller understanding of the epidemiology of hepatitis B.
This issue of the ECDC Communicable Disease Threats Report (CDTR) covers the period 16-22 July 2023 and includes updates on avian influenza, Echovirus 11, COVID-19, West Nile virus, poliomyelitis, and botulism.
Since April 2023, over 300 shigellosis cases, many with multidrug-resistant Shigella sonnei -infections, have been reported to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).
The second ‘Exchange of Experts’ programme for European Neighbourhood Policy partner countries took place on 29 – 30 May 2023 with Greece and Lebanon and focused on Legionnaires’ disease.
In the framework of the EU Initiative on Health Security, ECDC and the EU Member States set up an ‘Exchange of Experts’ programme aiming to provide experts from European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) partner countries with opportunities to learn from the experiences of EU Member States within specific disease areas, and in turn, share their own experiences.
EU/EEA countries are reporting an increased number of Escherichia coli (E. coli) isolates carrying the blaNDM-5 gene that makes them resistant to carbapenems, antibiotics.
Analysis of whole genome sequencing and epidemiological data of 874 E. coli isolates from the national collections of 13 countries confirmed the increase of E. coli isolates carrying blaNDM-5 which was previously detected in the CCRE survey.