EMGM Public Health Management Working Group

Convener: James Stuart, Health Protection Agency, United Kingdom, james.stuart@hpa.org.uk.
Co-convener: Wiebke Hellenbrand, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany, HellenbrandW@rki.de.

Activities:

This group had focused its activities on surveying public health policies for controlling meningococcal disease across Europe and reviewing the literature for evidence to inform such policies. Our aim is increase harmonisation of policy based where possible on scientific evidence.

Key publications to date:

1. Purcell B, Samuelsson S, Hahne S, Ehrhatd I, Heubeger S, Camaroni I, Charlett A, Stuart JM. Effectiveness of antibiotics in preventing meningococcal disease after a case: systematic review. BMJ 2004;328:1339-42.
2. Boccia D, Andrews N, Samuelsson S, Heuberger S, Perrocheau A, Stuart JM. Effectiveness of different policies in preventing meningococcal disease clusters following a single case in day-care and pre-school settings in Europe. Epidemiol Infect 2006; 134:872-7.
3. Hahne SJ, Charlett A, Purcell B et al. Effectiveness of antibiotics given before admission in reducing mortality from meningococcal disease: systematic review. BMJ 2006; 332:299-303.
4. Hoek M, Christensen H, Hellenbrand W, Stefanoff P, Howitz M, Stuart JM. Effectiveness of vaccinating household contacts in addition to chemo-prophylaxis after a case of meningococcal disease: systematic review. Epidemiol Inf 2008: in press.
5. Hoek M, Hanquet G, Heuberger S, Stefanoff P, Zucs P, Ramsay M, Stuart JM on behalf of EU-IBIS. European survey on public health policies for managing cases of meningococcal disease and their contacts. EuroSurveillance 2008: in press.

Plans for 2008:

Following a Europe wide policy survey in 2007 (5), the Group is working with ECDC to prioritise areas for further review and to develop guidance for best practice.