The content of this joint guidance was developed by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) with the support of a technical advisory group composed of policy makers, service providers, civil society representatives and preventative health experts from throughout the EU/EEA.

This evidence-based guidance is designed to inform the development, monitoring and evaluation of national strategies and programmes in countries in Europe in order to reduce and prevent infections among people who inject drugs.

This report presents the main findings of an ECDC project to assess the burden of infectious diseases among migrants in the EU/EEA based on available data for specific diseases: human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), tuberculosis (TB), hepatitis B, hepatitis C, gonorrhoea, syphilis, measles and rubella, malaria and Chagas disease.

This edition of the Annual Report gives special attention to vaccine-preventable diseases and immunisation programmesin the European Union (EU) and European Economic Area (EEA) countries. This edition was revised January and June 2010 and has authority over the print edition.

This joint guidance from ECDC and the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction provides EU/EEA Member States with evidence-based scientific advice on active case finding options. These options can be applied to the planning and implementation of interventions that promote the early diagnosis of communicable diseases in prison settings.

This document provides EU/EEA Member States with evidence-based scientific advice on available options, when planning and implementing prevention and control interventions for blood-borne viruses in prison settings.

This guidance is intended for policymakers responsible for the planning and delivery of healthcare services in the national or sub-national custodial system and all professionals responsible for the health and well-being of people in prison, including community-based service providers and those facilitating continuity of care in the community.