ELDSNet Meeting

ECDC and AGES will host the 2nd Annual Meeting of the European Legionnaires’ Disease Surveillance Network (ELDSNet) on May 24 to 25, 2011. 

The ELDSNet meeting is meant for national experts nominated by EU/EEA Member States for European Legionnaires’ Disease surveillance.

Invited network members:

Invited participants of the ELDSNet meeting should be aware that ECDC will provide travel arrangements and accommodation during this meeting. Travel arrangements and arrangements for accommodation done on your own must be communicated to ECDC in advance for approval.

Self funded guests:

The meeting is also open to other persons interested in participating in the ELDSNet meeting on a self-funded base. These participants have to register at ECDC beforehand, not later than May 13, 2011.Please send an e-mail to ECDC network coordinator (Birgitta.dejong@ecdc.europa.eu ) in order to register. The fee for participating in the meeting is € 70.-- (including lunch and refreshments); the fee has to be paid in cash at the desk at conference site.

The meeting is scheduled to be held on May 24, 2 p.m. to May 25, 3 p.m. 2011.

The meeting will be arranged at the same conference site as the EWGLI meeting: AGES headquarter, Spargelfeldstrasse 191, 1220 Vienna, Austria

Scope and purpose:

Background

Since 1 April 2010, ECDC is coordinating the European Legionnaires’ Disease Surveillance Network (ELDSNet). This includes the daily surveillance of travel-associated Legionnaires’ disease, the timely detection of clusters, their immediate notification to the network and the close monitoring of cluster site investigations and control measures taken. It also includes the annual collection, analysis and reporting of all cases of Legionnaires’ disease that were notified to the 29 Member States in the preceding year.
The epidemiological activities are complemented by centralised laboratory services that were outsourced through an open call for tender. The Health Protection Agency’s Atypical Pneumonia Unit in London was contracted to provide an inventory of Legionella reference laboratory capacities in Member States, EQAs and targeted training, enhanced investigation of clusters and a quarterly science watch bulletin.
This is the second annual ELDSNet meeting under ECDC coordination. It follows the third meeting of the ELDSNet Coordination Group and leads into the 26th Scientific Meeting of the European Working Group for Legionella Infections (EWGLI) from 25 to 27 May.

Objectives of the annual ELDSNet meeting

• To present and discuss the epidemiology of Legionnaires’ disease in Europe in 2010.
  
• To present and discuss the laboratory capacity survey conducted in Europe.
  
  
• To refresh the knowledge in using TESSy.
  
  
• To discuss and recommend possible revisions/clarifications of the ELDSNet procedures.
  
  
• To discuss and recommend ways how to systematically increase the numbers of clinical and environmental isolates available for typing.

Planned outcomes of the annual ELDSNet meeting

• Updated and deepened knowledge on the epidemiology of Legionnaires’ disease in Europe, on pertinent ongoing laboratory activities and on the use of TESSy.
  
  
• Recommendations on changes of the ELDSNet procedures.
  
  
• Recommendations on study regarding diagnostic tools.
  
  
• A meeting report summarising the discussions and conclusions reached.