WRITTEN QUESTION E-3008/01

by Antonio Mussa (UEN), Cristiana Muscardini (UEN)and Mauro Nobilia (UEN) to the Commission

(29 October 2001)

Subject: The plague in Kazakhstan: risk to Europe and the United States

In Roman times the plague was spread throughout Europe and from 1 347 to 1 348 swept through the whole of the Mediterranean area, including Europe and north Africa via Genovese ships returning from the Black Sea and due to the rapid movements of troops of the Mongol Empire, which spread the plague bacterium, through rat fleas on the horses and backpacks of soldiers coming from areas far away where the plague was endemic.

In the present historical context, where military operations are being carried out on a vast scale in areas posing health risks there may be a re-emergence of plague foci; even though military personnel and staff already employed in health care are protected by appropriate precautions such as vaccination and prophylactics, these do not rule out the presence of virulent strains in laboratories, which are therefore much more contagious than the original strain.

There is also a risk of the plague being spread when those employed in military, technical assistance and health operations return home.

For certain types of plague bubonic, pneumonic or septicaemic early diagnosis is the determining factor in ensuring suitable treatment to cure or prevent the illness.

Can the Commission say whether it intends:

1. to set up a committee of inquiry to consider as a matter of urgency any possible risk of epidemics, to identify their hygiene/health or criminal origin (such as germ warfare) and to assess the possibility of providing aid for Kazakhstan and for all those countries working in Central Asia as part of humanitarian aid missions.

2. to set up a monitoring committee responsible for assessing the measures required to tackle any possible contamination?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(11 December 2001)

Plague is considered a serious imported disease by Commission Decision No 2000/96/EC of 22 December 1999(1) and is, therefore, one of the diseases to be progressively covered by the Community network for the surveillance of communicable diseases established under Decision No 2119/98/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 24 September 1998 setting up a network for the epidemiological surveillance and control of communicable diseases in the Community(2).

The Directorate General Health and Consumer Protection is fostering epidemiological surveillance and control of communicable diseases and other health threats by granting financial support to leading structures in the Member States and by coordinating early warning and response activities of the national public health authorities. Among other initiatives the Commission has reached an agreement with the Member States on the adoption of harmonised case definitions for communicable diseases including plague with a view to improving comparability of surveillance data.

The Commission is, in light of the recent events, fully aware of the increased risk of epidemics of communicable diseases including the intentional release of biological agents. The public health services have, therefore, launched several actions towards building up capacities and strengthening coordination of preparedness at national and Community level with the aim to establish a European Pandemic Preparedness Plan.

(1) OJ L 28, 3.2.2000.

(2) OJ L 268, 3.10.1998.