Weekly releases (1997–2007) - Volume 8, Issue 9, 26 February 2004

Estimates of the numbers of people living with HIV/AIDS in central and eastern Europe and the Central Independent States (CIS) at the end of 2003 run as high as 1.8 million.

A ministerial conference to discuss the problem of HIV/AIDS in Europe and Central Asia took place in Dublin on 23 and 24 February. At the conference, delegates from 55 countries agreed to formally adopt the Dublin Declaration on Partnership to fight HIV/AIDS

In the context of a declining incidence of AIDS in France, the observed rise in cases of AIDS from 1999 onwards in immigrants from sub-Saharan Africa has prompted a descriptive survey of HIV infected patients from this region receiving treatment in hospitals in Ile-de-France (Paris and its suburban districts)

About 30% of the German population (20 to 30 million people) are currently infected with Helicobacter pylori. In about four to six million of these people, the infection will lead to complications

A report on the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) (H7N7) outbreak that occurred in the Netherlands in 2003 has been published.

Corynebacteria are commonly found on human skin and mucous membranes. Corynebacterium diphtheriae is the most important infective agent of this genus.