Expert consultation: Dengue and chikungunya preparedness in Europe: priorities and road map
On 14-15 January 2015 an ECDC consultation gathered public health experts, entomologists and epidemiologists from Europe, as well as experts from WHO, CDC and PacNet, to review the EU preparedness to dengue and chikungunya importation and onwards transmission and produce a roadmap towards improved EU preparedness.
In recent years Europe has seen cases of dengue and chikungunya: local transmission of dengue and chikungunya has been identified on occasions across the EU, and an increase of imported chikungunya cases has been observed in a number of EU countries following the recent introduction of the virus in the Caribbean and the Americas, in 2013-14.
Vigilance for the occurrence of imported cases of dengue and chikungunya and possible onwards transmission in EU is needed. An ECDC
Specific objectives of the expert meeting were:
- To review the recent epidemiological situation of dengue and chikungunya worldwide and in the EU;
- To identify good practice, achievements and gaps of the dengue and chikungunya preparedness in the EU and neighbouring countries;
- To identify approaches to improve the dengue and chikungunya preparedness in the EU and neighbouring countries, i.e. disease and vector surveillance, contingency plans, tools for response, communication and useful scientific approaches (modelling, mapping of environmental and climatic determinants, and vector ecology) and communication;
- To propose actions to fill gaps and achieve better preparedness;
- To agree upon a schedule and organisational process of a better dengue and chikungunya preparedness in the EU.