Weekly releases (1997–2007) - Volume 6, Issue 18, 03 May 2002

On 9 April, headline news in a local newspaper in Crete reported the death of a previously healthy 45 year old woman in Heraklion. The death, which occurred on 5 April, was associated with myocarditis after upper respiratory tract infection. A second death (13 April) of a 48-year old woman from eastern Crete with similar symptoms was also headline news.

Following the recommendation of the Gezondheidsraad (Health Council) of the Netherlands to the minister of health in favour of universal vaccination against infections with group C meningococci and pneumococci (1), the minister announced in parliament on 18 March her decision to accept the advice. The number of serotyped cases of meningitis C in the Netherlands rose from 86 in 1999 and 105 in 2000 to 275 in 2001.

Two cases of severe tetanus in women aged 61 years with histories of incomplete vaccination were notified in April in England (1). They were the first cases reported this year in the country. The first patient developed symptoms eight days after a head injury sustained from a fall down the stairs. Neither tetanus toxoid nor immunoglobulin were given at the time of her injury, which required stitches.

The February issue of the monthly bulletin Eurosurveillance, also funded by the European Commission, is now online (in English and French) at http://www.eurosurveillance.org/.