Eurosurveillance - Volume 7, Issue 1, 01 January 2002

The following conceptual framework formed the basis for a common decision made by the health ministers of Germany's 16 federal states to set up an influenza pandemic preparedness plan. The worst case scenario was used, on the basis of the data from the pandemic of 'Spanish flu', in 1918-20. The priority groups for vaccination were assessed, as well as the potentially available antiviral treatments. National policies could be highly improved by a common European view.

This article reports the trend of multidrug resistant Salmonella Typhimurium isolated from humans in Norway from 1998 to 2000. Most of the incidents with multiple resistant S. Typhimurium infection contracted in Norway have been DT104. We should therefore expect an increase of both primary and secondary infections if strains such as phage type DT104 with R-type ACSSuT become endemic.

In addition to the Eastern European resurgence of diphtheria during the last decade, there has also been an emergence of infections caused by non-toxigenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae and non-toxigenic, toxin gene bearing C. diphtheriae. Given that these strains may manifest as symptomatic infections of differing degrees of severity, their clinical and epidemiological significance need to be assessed. The persistence of toxigenic and non-toxigenic C. diphtheriae in circulation, together with genotypic and biotype variability means that innovative measures to vaccinate populations are pertinent. The most effective method of protecting the currently most vulnerable population group (adults) is to implement a booster dose of vaccine amongst the adult populations. Furthermore, in combination with an efficient surveillance system, effective antibiotic prophylaxis and an up-to-date vaccination programme, serological studies needs to be maintained to monitor the immunity status of the population.