ECDC has published an Expert Opinion on rotavirus vaccination in infancy. The paper provides EU/EEA Member States with relevant scientific information on burden of rotavirus disease, vaccine effectiveness and safety, and cost-effectiveness studies to support the decision-making process on the possible introduction of routine vaccination of children against rotavirus gastroenteritis.
ECDC promotes the performance of external quality assessment (EQA) schemes, in which laboratories are sent simulated clinical specimens or bacterial isolates for testing by routine or reference laboratory methods. EQA schemes, or laboratory proficiency testing, provide information about the accuracy of different characterisation and typing methods as well as antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) and the sensitivity of the methods in place to detect a certain pathogen or novel resistance patterns.
Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) is an obligate human pathogen and an important cause of invasive bacterial infections in both children and adults, with the highest incidence among young children.
The final expert opinion on rotavirus vaccination in infancy aims to provide EU/EEA Member States with information to support the decision-making process on the possible introduction of rotavirus vaccination in infancy.