[Infections with pneumococci, menigococci, H. influenzae and diphtheria in Germany: the RKI Reference Network for Invasive Bacterial Infections (IBI) at the 5th Würzburg Workshop on Epidemiology, Prevention and Therapy for Invasive Meningococcal Diseases 2010 (meeting report)].
The surveillance and prevention of invasive bacterial infections requires flexible strategic coordination of all involved health-care professionals. For this purpose, the German National Reference Centres for Meningococci, Streptococci and the Consultant Laboratories for Haemophilus influenzae and diphtheria have formed the Reference Network for Invasive bacterial infections (IBI). The 5th Würzburg Workshop on Meningococcal Diseases 2010 provided the network with a forum for the interdisciplinary exchange between scientists, public health professionals, medical microbiologists and clinicians. The topics covered the analysis of surveillance data for meningococcal disease in the last decade, as well as methods to control for antibody response following vaccination, including a serum bactericidal antibody (SBA) assay, and the development of new vaccines that also include the most common serogroup B. The presentation on diphtheria showed that this rare disease in Germany has become a diagnostic challenge, and that apart from the classical pathogen also toxigenic C. ulcerans strains must be considered. Due to the successful vaccination against Hib, H. influenzae disease has changed from a classical childhood disease to an infection of elderly people mainly caused by unencapsulated strains. Following the introduction of vaccines, changes in the serotype distribution and antibiotic resistance profiles have become apparent for S. pneumoniae infections. The epidemiological data were complemented by clinical aspects concerning the vaccination of immunocompromised children.
Nationales Referenzzentrum für Meningokokken und Konsiliarlabor für  H. influenzae, Institut für Hygiene und Mikrobiologie, Universität Würzburg.
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Lâm
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Claus
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Elias
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Hellenbrand
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Imöhl
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Sing
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van der Linden
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Vogel
D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods*; D015995:Prevalence; D014611:Vaccination / Q000379:methods*