In this special episode of ECDC On Air, Bruno Ciancio - Head of Unit - Directly Transmitted and Vaccine-preventable Disease at ECDC, discusses the recent Rapid Risk Assessment on diphtheria, its symptoms, transmission, and the importance of vaccination. He highlights the current trends in diphtheria cases, particularly among vulnerable populations, and emphasizes the need for timely public health measures and effective treatment strategies.

The conversation also compares diphtheria with measles, underscoring the critical role of vaccination in preventing infectious diseases.

Read more about the situation in our press release here and find the full text of the Rapid Risk Assessment on diphtheria here.

More information on epidemiology in Europe in general can be found on our portal: ecdc.europa.eu⁠ and ⁠social media channels⁠.

Why are hepatitis A cases rising sharply in parts of Europe - and what can public health professionals do about it?

In this episode of ECDC on Air, Linda Trönnberg - Principal Expert in Food-, Waterborne and Zoonotic Diseases, and Theresa Enkirch - Expert in Microbiology and Molecular Epidemiology break down the latest hepatitis A outbreak affecting Austria, Czechia, Hungary, and Slovakia, highlighting who is being most affected, how the virus is spreading, and what actions can help contain it.

From person-to-person transmission in areas with limited sanitation to the role of genomic sequencing and the importance of tailored outreach, this episode explores the science and strategy behind the response and what cross-border coordination can achieve.

This is the first episode in the series where we focus on the recently published Rapid RIsk Assesments on infectious diseases.

The RRA on Hepatitis A cases from 18 June 2025 can be found here.

For more on Hepatitis, check the dedicated pages on the ECDC portal.

More information on epidemiology in Europe in general can be found on our portal: https://ecdc.europa.eu and social media channels.

In this episode of #ECDCOnAir, the discussion revolves around vaccination acceptance, exploring the factors influencing people's health choices, the role of social and behavioural sciences, the impact of misinformation, and the trends in vaccination rates across Europe.

ECDC experts - Sarah Earnshaw Blomquist and Andrea Würz provide insights into how understanding these dynamics can help improve vaccination uptake and public health strategies.

Learn more about the 5 C's here and join the ECDC Lighthouse.

For more information about ECDC in general, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠ecdc.europa.eu⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠social media⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.