For 2017, 39 cases of diphtheria due to toxigenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae or C. ulcerans were reported to ECDC. The highest proportion of C. ulcerans cases was among adults 45 years of age and above, whereas C. diphtheriae cases were more common in younger age groups. Among C. diphtheriae cases, 50% were reported as imported. High vaccination coverage is crucial to prevent diphtheria.
The ECDC Communicable Disease Threats Report (CDTR) is a weekly bulletin for epidemiologists and health professionals on active public health threats. This issue covers the period from 28 April-4 May 2019 and includes updates on Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), cholera, dengue, Ebola virus disease, influenza, anthrax, rabies and Shiga-toxigenic Escherichia coli O26.
The ECDC Communicable Disease Threats Report (CDTR) is a weekly bulletin for epidemiologists and health professionals on active public health threats. This issue covers the period from 3-9 February 2019 and includes updates on poliomyelitis, Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), measles, Ebola virus disease, influenza, Salmonella Poona and Andes Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome.
Anthrax continues to be a rare disease in humans in Europe, with only a few cases reported every year. In 2016, two EU/EEA countries reported six laboratory-confirmed anthrax cases: Romania (5) and Spain (1). The remaining 28 reporting countries notified no cases.
On European Antibiotic Awareness Day, ECDC publishes the results of two point-prevalence surveys of healthcare-associated infections and antimicrobial use in hospitals and in long-term care facilities in the EU/EEA.
This report is based on data for 2016 retrieved from The European Surveillance System (TESSy) on 20 March 2018. TESSy is a system for the collection, analysis and dissemination of data on communicable diseases. EU Member States and EEA countries contribute to the system by uploading their infectious disease surveillance data at regular intervals.