Chikungunya is not endemic in the EU/EEA and the majority of the cases are travellers infected outside of the EU/EEA. When the environmental conditions are favourable, in areas where Ae. albopictus is established, viraemic travel-related cases may generate a local transmission of the virus as demonstrated by the sporadic events of chikungunya virus transmission since 2007.
Smallpox was once a common, deadly disease, that killed a third of those who contracted it. 200 years ago, it was discovered that vaccination could prevent smallpox. Learn more about the fight against smallpox in our videos
Escherichia coli resistance to major antibiotics is increasing in almost all countries in Europe. E. coli causes urinary tract and more serious infections and is one of the most common bacteria causing infections.
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.