An estimated 4.7 million Europeans are living with chronic hepatitis B and almost 4 million (3.9) with chronic hepatitis C infection. However, large numbers of them are not even aware of their infection as they have not yet been tested and diagnosed.
Hepatitis and other drug-related infectious diseases will be the focus of ‘Hepatitis week’, taking place at the EU drugs agency (EMCDDA) in Lisbon from 12–16 June 2017. The initiative will bring together some 100 specialists from: EU Member States, candidate and potential candidate countries to the EU, as well as partner agencies, civil society and professional organisations.
The aims of the meeting were to enable sharing of experiences and good practices between member states, review ECDC’s current programme of work and to help determine future priorities for surveillance, prevention and control of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) across Europe.
ECDC undertook a survey to assess needs and priorities prior to developing guidance on testing and screening for hepatitis B and C (HBV/HCV) in the EU/EEA, and to update the existing evidence on the burden of HBV/HCV morbidity and mortality across EU/EEA Member States.
The network comprises the contact points for Hepatitis B and C surveillance that are nominated by the competent bodies for surveillance in EU/EFTA, and includes both epidemiology and virology experts.