Enter-Net

International surveillance network for the enteric infections Salmonella and VTEC O157

Project Leaders: Dr Noël Gill, Prof Bill Reilly

This project received funding from the European Commission (DG SANCO), and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).

Enter-net was the international surveillance network for human gastrointestinal infections. The participants in the network were the microbiologist in charge of the national reference laboratory for salmonella and E. coli infections, and the epidemiologist responsible the national surveillance of these diseases. The network involved all 27 countries of the European Union (EU), plus Australia, Canada, Japan, South Africa, Switzerland and Norway. The network conducted international surveillance of salmonellosis and verocytotoxin producing Escherichia coli (VTEC) O157, including antimicrobial resistance.

Enter-net was a continuation of the Salm-Net surveillance network (1994-97) which was also funded by the EC and concentrated upon harmonisation of salmonella phage-typing and the establishment of a timely international salmonella database. Through outbreak recognition and investigation Salm-Net and Enter-net demonstrated that the timely exchange of information between experts in different EU countries could lead to effective public health action in Europe and beyond.

 Since 2 October 2007 the Enter-net network has been subsumed into the ECDC Food- and waterborne disease unit in Stockholm. All historical reports and information are available at: http://www.ecdc.europa.eu/Activities/surveillance/ENTER_NET/index.html