Sixty cases of diphtheria due to toxigenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae (n=29) or C. ulcerans (n=31), and one case with unknown pathogen were reported to ECDC in 2021.
This issue of the ECDC Communicable Disease Threats Report (CDTR) covers the period 10-16 December 2023 and includes updates on measles, chikungunya, dengue, SARS-CoV-2, diphtheria, West Nile virus, respiratory virus epidemiology and influenza.
Since the beginning of the 2023 transmission season, and as of 13th December 2023, 152 outbreaks among equids and 247 outbreaks among birds have been reported by EU/EEA countries. Outbreaks among equids have been reported by France (44), Spain (37), Hungary (26), Italy (25), Germany (14), Portugal (5) and Austria (1). Outbreaks among birds have been reported by Italy (196), Germany (19), Spain (19), Bulgaria (6), Hungary (3), France (2), Austria (1) and Greece (1).
Since the beginning of the 2023 transmission season and as of 13th December 2023, EU/EEA countries have reported 707 human cases of WNV infection in Italy (336), Greece (162, of which 1 with unknown place of infection), Romania (103), France (43), Hungary (29), Spain (17), Germany (6), Croatia (6) and Cyprus (5). EU/EEA countries have reported 67 deaths in Italy (29), Greece (23), Romania (12) and Spain (3). EU-neighbouring countries have reported 93 human cases of WNV infection in Serbia (91) and North Macedonia (2) and 2 deaths in Serbia (2).
Since the beginning of the 2023 transmission season and as of 13 December 2023, EU/EEA countries have reported 707 human cases of WNV infection, 152 outbreaks among equids and 247 outbreaks among birds.
Since the beginning of the 2023 transmission season and as of 13th December 2023, EU/EEA countries have reported 707 human cases of WNV infection in Italy (336), Greece (162, of which 1 with unknown place of infection), Romania (103), France (43), Hungary (29), Spain (17), Germany (6), Croatia (6) and Cyprus (5).
Japanese encephalitis virus is present in Asia and Oceania, from Japan to India, Pakistan and Australia. Outbreaks are erratic and spatially and temporally limited phenomena, occurring quite unpredictably. The virus is a leading cause of viral encephalitis in Asia, with 30 000 to 50 000 cases reported annually.
West Nile virus is a mosquito-borne flavivirus that is maintained in an enzootic cycle between mosquitoes and birds. Humans and horses are incidental dead-end hosts.
Sindbis virus is widely and continuously found in insects (the main vectors are Culex and Culiseta mosquitoes) and vertebrates in Eurasia, Africa, and Oceania. ECDC factsheet for health professionals
In 2022, the first and second most reported zoonoses in humans were campylobacteriosis and salmonellosis, respectively. The number of cases of campylobacteriosis and salmonellosis remained stable in comparison with 2021.