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.
Marburg virus disease (MVD), formerly known as Marburg haemorrhagic fever, is a severe disease in humans caused by Marburg marburgvirus (MARV). Although MVD is uncommon, MARV has the potential to cause epidemics with significant case fatality rates.
Yellow fever (YF) is a mosquito-borne infection, distributed in west, central and east Africa and in South America. The disease can cause a wide spectrum of symptoms, from mild to fatal. In severe cases there may be spontaneous haemorrhage. Mortality of these clinical cases can be as high as 80%, on a par with Ebola, Marburg and other haemorrhagic viral infections.
Most Zika virus infections are either asymptomatic or cause a mild illness with a transient maculopapular rash. However, there is scientific consensus that Zika virus is a cause of microcephaly, congenital nervous system malformations and Guillain-Barré syndrome.
Ciguatera fish poisoning (CFP) is the most common reported illness caused by marine biotoxin in food. It is caused by eating fish that have accumulated ciguatoxins (CTXs) due to feeding on toxic microalgae (Gambierdiscus spp. and Fukuyoa spp.)
A number of sand fly species are present in Europe and in recent years, their range has increased. They are vectors of human and canine leishmaniasis, and sand fly fevers caused by phleboviruses.