[Surveillance of communicable diseases in Europe; more than just a means of communication among national institutes].

The re-emergence of infectious diseases as a threat to the health of the public has led to the initiation of several surveillance programmes in the European community. The impact of these Europe-wide surveillance programmes, including the surveillance of antibiotic resistance, will depend on the ability of the epidemiologists involved to gather validated data that accurately reflect the trends in the occurrence of infectious diseases and of antibiotic resistances. The results of surveillance should be communicated not only between the national institutes but should also reach the medical communities and the public at large in the participating countries.