EU-IBIS Homepage

Please note that at the beginning of October 2007, EU-IBIS transferred to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. This website will continue to hold historical data. For further information please contact the ECDC EU-IBIS co-ordinator at VPD.ECDC@ecdc.europa.eu

Introduction

The bacteria Neisseria meningitidis and Haemophilus influenzae are an important cause of invasive disease, including meningitis, septicaemia and epiglottitis, across Europe. These bacterial infections contribute to morbidity and mortality, particularly in young children, and represent an important public health problem.

Surveillance of these diseases is vital so that the epidemiology of these infections can be characterised and the impact of vaccination programmes can be measured. Since these diseases are relatively uncommon (particularly after vaccination has been introduced) pooling data across many European countries will increase the power of any epidemiological analysis.

The European Union Invasive Bacterial Infections Surveillance Network (EU-IBIS) began in 1999 and is funded by the European Commission DG Sanco. Countries participating in the project are: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the UK. Data from 2003 onwards will originate from countries which joined the UK in May 2004, namely Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland the Slovak Republic and Slovenia. In addition, Australia and Israel also contribute data. More information on funding and the background to the project is available.

Aims of the EU-IBIS project

• To improve the epidemiological information on invasive disease caused by N meningitidis and H influenzae within the EU
• To improve the laboratory capacity to accurately characterise the isolates of N meningitidis and H. influenzae using standardised methods.
• To evaluate the impact of vaccination with conjugate vaccines on the epidemiology of N meningitidis and H influenzae
• To compare the impact of vaccination with conjugate vaccines produced by different manufacturers and according to different schedules
• To form a focus for wider collaboration with non-EU countries and candidate EU countries

Project Leaders

Dr Mary Ramsay - Lead epidemiologist
Professor Andrew Fox - Lead N meningitidis microbiologist
Dr Mary Slack - Lead H influenzae microbiologist
Dr Manny Chandra - Scientific Co-ordinator

The project leaders and scientific co-ordinator are based at the Health Protection Agency of England and Wales

Contact

For further information, contact EU-IBIS