European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC)

#JustPublished! Detections of poliovirus in sewage samples require enhanced routine and catch-up vaccination and increased surveillance to keep Europe polio-free. Between September and December 2024, four countries in the EU/EEA (Finland, Germany, Poland, Spain) and the United Kingdom reported detections of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) in sewage samples. This is the first time cVDPV2 has been detected in EU/EEA countries from environmental surveillance. 𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗼-𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲 To date, no human polio cases have been reported and the EU/EEA continues to be polio-free, but such findings call for increased vigilance. Laboratory analyses likely indicate that the virus has been repeatedly introduced from an unknown area where that specific form of the virus is still in circulation. These recent importations may pose a threat to public health in the EU/EEA and should be monitored closely according to a Rapid Risk Assessment published today by ECDC on this topic. "𝘌𝘶𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘰-𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 20 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴. 𝘞𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘷𝘪𝘨𝘪𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘵, 𝘮𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘪𝘨𝘩 𝘷𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘷𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘨𝘢𝘱𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘦𝘹𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦" - said Pamela Rendi-Wagner, ECDC Director. 𝗩𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 - 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 Poliovirus is highly infectious and can be transmitted easily and silently across wide geographical areas. Therefore, while the EU/EEA continues to remain polio-free, it is vital to maintain adequate vaccine-induced immunity. Polio is a potentially debilitating disease and no specific therapy is available against the virus. Vaccination is the only effective method of protecting against severe disease caused by poliovirus. Although the majority of EU/EEA countries report vaccination coverage above 90% at the national level, subnational data reveal a much more heterogeneous picture, with only 39% of reporting districts reaching 90% vaccination coverage, which requires constant assessment of vaccination strategies and vaccination coverage from both national and sub-national perspectives. 𝗠𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝘃𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 Additionally, according to ECDC estimates, around 600 000 children aged 12–23 months may not have received a full primary polio vaccination course in 2022 and 2023. Read more about the risk and ECDC recommendations: ➡️ In our press release: https://bit.ly/3PZRCAa ➡️ Rapid Risk Assessment: https://bit.ly/3PZRBw6 ➡️ Polio factsheet on the European Vaccination Information Portal (all EU/EEA languages!): https://lnkd.in/dTvEwjfD ➡️ Watch more on polio: https://bit.ly/4glP0at #Polio #Poliomyelitis #PublicHealth #VaccinesSaveLives #UnitedInProtection #RapidRiskAssessment

ECDC’s Director Pamela Rendi-Wagner met with Commissioners Olivér Várhelyi, Hadja Lahbib and Magnus Brunner in Brussels to discuss #ECDC’s close collaboration on European public health priorities, strengthening our continental preparedness and cyber security. We look forward to working together for a healthier, safer Europe. #PublicHealth #Preparedness #EU European Commission

📢 The EU Initiative On Health Security is partnering with experts across Mediterranean and Black Sea region to tackle public health threats. Learn more about our ongoing projects and impact 👉 https://bit.ly/EUIHS #EUInitiativeOnHealthSecurity #MediPIET #GlobalHealth #HealthSecurity #EUHealth

Did you know that liver cancer is a major public health concern in Europe? It's the 6th leading cause of cancer-related deaths, with over 54,000 deaths in 2022 alone. #HepatitisB and #HepatitisC are major risk factors for liver cancer, the good news is that both are preventable and treatable. We see inequalities in liver cancer incidence across Europe. We need to tackle these through targeted interventions, improved access to testing and treatment, and greater awareness. Together, we can reduce the burden of liver cancer in Europe. Let's work together to scale up prevention, testing, and treatment services. ---------------------------------- More on #ViralHepatitis: https://lnkd.in/dSg2pX3h... #LiverCancer #WorldCancerDay #CancerAwareness #VaccinesSaveLives #UnitedInProtection #EUCancerPlan

Today is #WorldCancerDay. Did you know that vaccines can prevent infections that lead to certain types of cancer? The HPV vaccine protects against a virus linked to cervical, throat, and other cancers, while the hepatitis B vaccine helps prevent chronic liver infections that can lead to liver cancer. Both vaccines are key tools in cancer prevention and are recommended for children and adults at risk. Learn how these vaccines can safeguard your health and reduce cancer risks. Read more on the European Vaccination Information Portal in YOUR LANGUAGE here: https://lnkd.in/dQSJfFeb Speak to your healthcare provider to get protected today! And watch our short animation ⬇️ #CancerPrevention #VaccinesSaveLives #VaccinePreventableCancers #HPV #Hepatitis #HepB #HepatitisB

#JustPublished: Rapid risk assessment - Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales – third update. Increase in carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) poses a significant threat to patients and healthcare systems in the EU/EEA. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗽𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗱𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟭𝟵. ECDC calls on all EU/EEA countries & hospitals to intensify their efforts to address this deteriorating epidemiological situation, mitigate the high risk of further CRE spread and, ultimately, protect patients and communities. Read more about the situation and what the ECDC's recommendations are in our: ➡️ press release: bit.ly/4hnx9RK ➡️ Rapid risk assessment: bit.ly/3Q5cy8R #AMR #Enterobacterales #PublicHealth #KeepAntibioticsWorking

WHO and ECDC visited the Netherlands 🤝 This week, an international team composed of WHO Regional Office for Europe and European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) visited the Netherlands for an assessment on the implementation of the JEE/IHR (WHO) and SCBTH (EU/ECDC). 🏥 Evaluation of Dutch health systems Corien Swaan: “Together with national experts, the international team evaluated the Dutch systems, plans and implementation of preparedness and response plans for serious health threats. For example infectious disease outbreaks, zoonotic diseases, and threats of chemical and radio nuclear origin.” 🖇️ Focus on collaboration Over 250 Dutch experts participated in the evaluation and the self-assessment, which was performed as preparation over the last few months. The assessment comprised 23 themes, focusing on intersectoral collaboration and the all-hazard approach on international, national and regional levels. 🏗️ Site visits to key facilities Mission team members also visited the Major Incident Hospital in Utrecht (UMC Utrecht), the CBRN Defense Centre Vught, the reference laboratory of the Erasmus Medical Centre (Erasmus MC), the High Level Isolation unit of the Radboud Medical Centre (Radboudumc), the Port of Rotterdam and the reference and wastewater surveillance laboratory of RIVM. 🚀 Recommendations for improvement The mission team will compose a report including recommendations for the Netherlands on how to strengthen its structure. “Together with Ministerie van Volksgezondheid, Welzijn en Sport we want to thank all experts and organisations who contributed to the assessment!” #PublicHealth #PandemicPreparedness #WHO #ECDC #RIVM

In an editorial for Eurosurveillance, ECDC Director Pamela Rendi Wagner and WHO/Europe Director Hans Kluge are calling for urgent #publichealth action to keep Europe polio-free. In light of recent detections of #poliovirus in wastewater samples in 5 countries across Europe, Kluge and Rendi Wagner emphasised the importance of comprehensive surveillance, preparedness, and commitment to maintain high #vaccination rates in every community in Europe. They also reiterated the commitment by the WHO Regional Office for Europe and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) to work closely together and support national and local public health authorities in these efforts to prevent the resurgence of polio and eradicate it across the globe. Read the full editorial: https://lnkd.in/djhBG83b

#JustPublished! One Health: EU agencies unite to tackle azole fungicide resistance in Aspergillus fungi. For the first time, the five EU health and environment agencies – European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), European Medicines Agency (EMA), European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), European Environment Agency (EEA), supported by the European Commission's Joint Research Centre, reviewed how the use of azole substances outside human medicine affects public health. 𝗔𝘇𝗼𝗹𝗲𝘀 - 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆? Azole medicines are essential for treating aspergillosis - a serious infection caused by Aspergillus fungi. However, these fungi are increasingly becoming resistant to azole therapies, making treatment less effective. Tackling azole resistance requires a cross-sectoral collaboration in a One Health approach. Find the five agencies' findings and recommendations in: ➡️ the full report: bit.ly/3X35QnR ➡️ the plain language summary: bit.ly/4aH0Z1e ➡️ our press release: bit.ly/3CH77ts ➡️ video explainer by EFSA: https://bit.ly/4hyNu5O #Azoles #OneHealth #Azole

Avian influenza viruses pose an increasing threat, with the potential to adapt to humans & trigger pandemics. To answer to that, along with our colleagues from European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), we have published today: a joint report assessing avian influenza virus mutations, their potential to spread to humans, and recommendations - for the animal and public health sectors. Our experts identified 34 genetic mutations that might increase the potential of avian influenza viruses to spread to humans. In the scientific opinion, they have also listed factors that can drive the viruses' adaptation to mammals. Find out the key recommendations and preparedness measures in the package #JustPublished on our website! -------- Report: bit.ly/42zoMhp Press release: bit.ly/4aBnPHk Scientific opinion: bit.ly/3EcaglJ #OneHealth #AvianFlu #AvianInfluenza #HPAI