1. European Programme for Intervention Epidemiology Training

2. EPIET
Created in 1994
Funded by the European Commission (60%) and EU Member States until 2007
Project Leader: Annika Linde (Sweden)
Coordinators:
Arnold Bosman, based at ECDC in Stockholm, Sweden (100%, leading coordinator)
Marta Valenciano, based at Carlos III in Madrid, Spain (100%)
Viviane Bremer, based at RKI in Berlin, Germany (40%)
Richard Pebody, based at HPA-CfI in London, UK (40%)
Administration:
- Carole Desmoulins, Anna Bohlin, Kristina Mittag-Leffler, Therese Leike

3. EPIET programme objectives
To:
Strengthen CD surveillance & control in EU
Develop a European network of intervention epidemiologists
Develop a response capacity inside & beyond EU:
surveillance
outbreak investigations
applied research
The objective of EPIET are to:
Strengthen CD surveillance
Develop European network of intervention epidemiologists
Develop European response capacity
Surveillance
Outbreak investigations
Applied research
Contribute to development of Network for the surveillance and control of CD

4. Training objectives Plan, implement, evaluate a surveillance system
Perform outbreak investigations
Develop a research project on a relevant public health issue
Acquire oral and written scientific communication skills
Acquire teaching skills

5. Training format Theoretical training
An introductory course (3 weeks), open to external participants
At least 6 one-week training modules rotating in EU Member States
Learning by doing practical training
23 months
At a European public health institute
On site supervision by senior epidemiologists and from EPIET coordinators

6. Time frame per cohort Cohort 10: 14 fellows Cohort 11: 16 fellows
Each cohort begins with a 3-weeks introductory course, and ends with a scientific seminar, where each fellow presents his/her work.
Sept-Oct 04
Sept-Oct 06
Cohort 11: 16 fellows
Sept-Oct 05
Sept-Oct 07
Cohort 12: 13 fellows
Sept-Oct 06
Sept-Oct 08

7. Introductory course, content
Lectures from field epidemiologists
Interactive case studies based on real investigations
Development of a study protocol based on real PH issue
Surveillance exercise
Communication exercises
Since 2004 in Menorca, Spain

8. Training modules in 2000-2006 Biostatistics (Porto, Rome)
Communication (London, Berlin)
Rapid assessment techniques in emergency situations (Veyrier, Berlin)
Time series analysis and Geographic Information System (Athens, Madrid, Veyrier, Bilthoven)
Vaccinology (Glasgow, Helsinki, Stockholm, London)
Data management (Bilthoven)
Computer & outbreak investigations (Heraklion, Athens, Paris, Malta, Budapest)
Bioterrorism (Berlin)
Time Series Analysis, Logistic Regression (Bordeaux)
Scientific Writing (Berlin)

9. Training sites in Europe “learning by doing”
25 Nations
+ Norway
+ Switzerland +WHO
24 Training sites
(16 for cohort 12)
Sites in red: open for cohort 12
Helsinki
Helsinki
Oslo
Oslo
Stockholm
Stockholm
Glasgow
Copenhagen
Belfast
Belfast
Glasgow
Copenhagen
Cardiff
Dublin
Cardiff
Dublin
Warsaw
London
London
Bilthoven
Berlin
Bilthoven
SouthWest
Berlin
Brussels
Prague
Prague
Paris
Paris
Vienna
Budapest
Geneva
Geneva
Lyon
Lyon
Rome
Madrid
Madrid
Rome
Athens

10. Supervision of fellows
Supervision on site by at least 1 senior epidemiologist
Draft protocols/reports/manuscripts sent to coordinators
Viadesk as virtual office

11. Outbreak investigations (examples)
Campylobacter and norovirus linked to communal water in Sweden, 2002
Q-Fever associated with sheep market in Germany, 2002
Avian influenza in poultry cullers in NL, 2003
Legionella associated with cooling towers in France, 2003
Hepatitis A in homosexual men in Denmark, 2004
Tuberculosis in supermarket in NL, 2005
S. Hadar associated with roasted chicken in Spain, 2005
Giardia linked to communal water in Norway, 2005
S. DT 104 associated with pork meat in NL, 2005/6

12. EU Cross-border Investigations 1999-2006
Salmonella paratyphi B among EU tourists returning from Turkey, 1999
Clostridium infection and deaths among intravenous drug users, England, Scotland, Ireland, 2000
EU-wide outbreak of Salmonella typhimurium 204b, 2000
Meningitis W135 in pilgrims returning from the Haj, 2000, 2001
Hepatitis A in Ibiza and German tourists, 2001
An outbreak of gastroenteritis in holiday-makers travelling to Andorra, January-February 2002
Hepatitis A among returning travellers from Egypt, 2004

13. Research Projects (examples)
Risk factors (RF) for Hantavirus in France and Belgium
RF for meningococcal meningitis in day care centres, Ireland
RF for Q fever in Germany
RF for sporadic cases of Listeriosis in France
RF for MRSA in nursing homes, Germany
RF for Hep C in hemodialysis Unit, France
RF for sporadic campylobacteriosis, Ireland
RF for CA-MRSA, Switzerland
RF for syphilis, Sweden
Influenza vaccine effectiveness, Denmark

14. Surveillance Projects (Examples)
Establishment of new surveillance
Norovirus in Sweden
Congenital toxoplasmosis in France
CA-MRSA in Switzerland
Heat and cold-related mortality in Spain
Winter mortality in the UK
Sales of flu medicine in Ireland
Evaluation of surveillance system
EHEC in France
STI in Finland
Syphilis in Germany
Tuberculosis in Spain

15. EPIET international missions (1)
Outbreak investigations
Infants deaths following immunisation (Egypt)
Tularaemia (Kosovo)
Suspected anthrax (Ethiopia)
Ebola (Uganda, Gabon, Sudan)
Hepatitis E (Sudan)
Marburg fever (Angola)
Measles (Nigeria, Niger, DRC)
SARS (Hongkong)
Meningitis (Sri Lanka)
Avian influenza (Vietnam, Turkey, Azerbaijian)

16. EPIET international missions (2)
Surveillance projects and surveys
Cholera Surveillance (Mozambique)
Unsafe Injection Practices survey (Burkina Faso)
Assessment of neonatal tetanus status (Zimbabwe)
Vaccine coverage (Côte d’Ivoire, Republic of Guinea, East-Timor, Pakistan)
SARS (Hong Kong)
Retrospective Mortality Survey (Darfur, Sudan)
Nutritional survey (Niger, East-Timor)
Early warning system (Pakistan after Earthquake)
Avian influenza (Georgia, Azerbaijian)

17. Number of graduated EPIET Fellows 1995-2006 by Country of Origin and Country of Training (nr=98)
Hosted
Sent
Number of EPIET fellows

18. Scientific Seminar
Annually in October, following the introductory course
Gathers
EPIET fellows
EPIET alumni
FETPs Europe
Supervisors and colleagues from training sites
EPIET Fellows prepared by “project review” module
Review of methods and presentations during 1 week in late August

19. Additional challenges
Select the best fellows while maintaining equity of access
Identify new training sites
Identify more supervisors
Develop training material
Increase cross border and international missions
Strengthen links with FETPs
Develop additional FETPs
Integration in ECDC
Latvia
Slovakia
Estonia
Lithuania
Poland
Cezch Rep.
Hungary
Slovenia
Cyprus
Malta

20. European added value Promotion of field epidemiology in EU
Contribution to the European Network for surveillance and control of CD
Training of trainers in EPIET host institutes
Promotion of national training programmes
Increased mobility of epidemiologists
Cross border investigations in EU
International missions
In addition to training EPIET fellows, the programme has so far helped Europe to develop by ensuring the:
Promotion of field epidemiology in EU
Contribution to the European Network for surveillance and control of CD
Training of trainers in EPIET host institutes
Promotion of national training programmes
Increased mobility of epidemiologists across EU
International missions
Cross border investigations in EU

21. EPIET and ECDC Integration in the ECDC from 2006
Cohort 12 financed through ECDC project grant
EPIET alumni as key role players in ECDC

22. More information anna.bohlin@smi.ki.se
More information is available on the web at:
Or writing an to:

23. Thank you
European
Programme
for Intervention
Epidemiology Training