Meningococcal disease is caused by Neisseria meningitidis, a bacterium with human carriers as the only reservoir. It is carried in the nose, where it can remain for long periods without producing symptoms.
Despite good access to effective antibiotics, Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococci) is still a major cause of disease and death in both developing and developed countries. Pneumococci are the main cause of bacterial respiratory tract infections, such as pneumonia, middle ear infection, and sinusitis, in all age groups.
This Reporting Protocol describes data collection for influenza, COVID-19, and other respiratory viruses (such as RSV or new viruses of public health concern) in the EU/EEA and wider WHO European Region. Data collection is integrated for most datasets in line with the operational considerations for respiratory virus surveillance in Europe.
This issue of the ECDC Communicable Disease Threats Report (CDTR) covers the period 19 - 25 November 2023 and includes updates on updates SARS-CoV-2 variant classifications, the increase of pediatric respiratory infections in China, Avian influenza in fur farms, West Nile virus, cholera, and an overview of respiratory virus epidemiology.
Since the beginning of the 2023 transmission season and as of 22 November 2023, EU/EEA countries have reported 698 human cases of WNV infection. In the same period, 146 outbreaks among equids and 246 outbreaks among birds have been reported by EU/EEA countries.
Genetic and antigenic characterization data generated at the Worldwide Influenza Centre for viruses with collection dates after 31 January 2023 until 31 August 2023 informed the WHO influenza vaccine composition meeting (VCM) in September 2023 when recommendations were made for the southern hemisphere (SH) 2024 influenza season.