ECDC: On Air

What can wastewater reveal about the spread of infectious diseases?
In this episode you’ll learn:
how wastewater surveillance works

what pathogens can be detected in sewage systems

how it complements traditional disease surveillance

how Europe is developing wastewater monitoring

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In this episode of ECDC: On Air, microbiologists Theresa Enkirch and Maximilian Riess explain how analysing wastewater can help scientists detect pathogens shed by populations and monitor trends in infections across communities.
The discussion explores how wastewater surveillance complements traditional disease monitoring, how it is being implemented across Europe, and how new technologies may expand its role in detecting future health threats.

➡ Learn more about wastewater surveillance here.
➡ ECDC Framework on wastewater-based surveillance.

Interested in ECDC in general? Visit our portal ⁠ecdc.europa.eu⁠ or follow us on ⁠social media⁠ for the latest news!
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Topics: wastewater surveillance, infectious disease monitoring, environmental surveillance, epidemiology, public health.

Tuberculosis remains a significant public health challenge in Europe, despite often being considered a disease of the past.

In this episode of ECDC: On Air, tuberculosis expert Senia Rosales-Klintz explains the current reality of TB, how the bacteria can remain dormant for years, and how it primarily affects vulnerable populations.

The episode also explores social stigma, challenges in accessing newer treatments, and the critical role of tracking patient outcomes in eliminating the disease.
 
Click here for more information on World Tuberculosis Day, and here for more information in general about ECDC.

Check our social media to keep up to date with ECDC news.

In this episode of ECDC On Air, we speak with ECDC's Helena de Carvalho Gomes - Deputy Head of Unit for Scientific Evidence and Communication, and former clinician in obstetrics and gynaecology, about the role of human papillomavirus (HPV) in cervical cancer and how vaccination and screening can prevent the disease.
Drawing on her clinical experience, she reflects on changes in cervical cancer prevention over the past 25 years and on the impact of HPV vaccination and screening in reducing pre-cancerous lesions and cancer risk among women.We also discuss why sustained vaccination programmes and regular cervical screening (Pap smear or Papanicolaou test) remain essential for reducing cervical cancer across Europe and moving towards its elimination.

Want to know more about HPV and its connection to cervical cancer?
Read more on the European Vaccination Information Portal in YOUR language here.
Find out more about HPV on the disease page on ECDC Portal.
More information on epidemiology in Europe in general can be found on our portal: https://⁠ecdc.europa.eu⁠ and ⁠social media channels⁠.

Enjoy the episode!

This is a third episode of our ECDC: On Air podcast sub-series - the "Risk Wire" - focusing on Risk Assessments ECDC publishes.
This time we look into a prolonged multi-country outbreak of Salmonella Strathcona has affected 17 European countries and has been ongoing since 2023, with more than 400 confirmed cases reported so far. Investigations have identified small tomatoes as the most likely vehicle of infection, highlighting the complexity of foodborne outbreaks and the role of the environment in food contamination.
In this episode, we talk to Dr Taina Niskanen, Expert in Food-, Waterborne and Zoonotic Diseases at the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), and Dr Eleonora Sarno, scientific officer at the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).
Together, they explain what Salmonella is, how it spreads, and the symptoms it can cause. They walk listeners through how the outbreak was detected and investigated across countries, how whole genome sequencing helps link human, food and environmental samples, and why collaboration between public health, food safety and environmental sectors is essential.
The episode also explores how ECDC and EFSA work with national authorities to track cases, trace food sources, and support control measures using a One Health approach.
Finally, the experts share practical food hygiene advice and explain what people can do at home to reduce the risk of infection.
Want to know more about the outbreak?
Read our press release here: bit.ly/3KNFGCx
Find out more about Salmonella on the disease pages on ECDC Portal here: www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/salmonellosis
More information on epidemiology in Europe in general can be found on our portal: ⁠ecdc.europa.eu⁠ and ⁠social media channels⁠: bit.ly/ECDCSocialMedia
Happy listening!

In this episode of ECDC On Air, we are joined by Aine Collins and Giusi Amore - experts from ECDC and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to unpack the latest EU One Health Zoonoses report.

They discuss the main foodborne diseases in Europe, the everyday foods most often linked to outbreaks, and clear up common myths - from “it’s just food poisoning” to washing raw chicken or relying on the smell test.

The conversation ends with simple, practical tips for safer food handling and storage at home.

Want to learn more?
-> Read our press release on the latest zoonoses report
-> Read the full report

More about foodborne diseases can be found also on both - ECDC portal: & EFSA portal.