After the EPIS FWD notification of a cluster of hepatitis A cases infected with two distinct strains in several EU/EEA countries, this risk assessment presents the early findings of this multi-country hepatitis A outbreak and sets out initial options for response.
In order to explore whether the current capacity for EU/EEA-wide molecular characterisation for surveillance of HBV and HCV is sufficient to be feasible and what gaps need to be addressed, a survey of EU/EEA Member States was conducted to assess their laboratory capacity and needs in relation to the molecular characterisation of hepatitis B and C.
The key objective of this meeting was to verify the rationale and objectives of molecular typing for surveillance of hepatitis E virus (HEV) through the hepatitis E network (HEVnet). The workshop reviewed HEVnet as a tool for molecular surveillance of HEV in Europe.
2014, the topic of the conference was HIV and Viral Hepatitis: Challenges of Timely Testing and Care, and the main objectives were to provide the fields of HIV and viral hepatitis with the opportunity to learn from each other and to reflect on their experiences.
In July 2014, a panel of three strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae and two simulated samples of cerebrospinal fluid was sent to 30 reference laboratories in the IBD-labnet surveillance network for quality assessment testing. This report summarises the diagnostic results submitted by the participating laboratories.
Emerging diseases and outbreak investigations, whole genome sequencing-based surveillance and public health risks related to animal and food imports to the EU/EEA were some of the topics under discussion during the Food- and Waterborne Diseases and Zoonoses Network meeting.