Infectious diseases in Malta

Abstract

Monitoring the disease status of a nation has long been considered of great importance in helping to decrease the spread of disease to the population. In recent years it can be said that there are no borders as regards Infectious Diseases with the increase in global travel and mass migration of people, with large numbers of people considered as displaced. This has lead to the introduction of new diseases in countries that previously had no experience of them as well as the re emergence of diseases that had been considered controlled. During the past 5 years Malta and the rest of Europe has seen an increase in various infectious diseases such as TB, HIV, other STIs, vector borne diseases as well as outbreaks of vaccine preventable diseases notably measles. Collaboration and cooperation between European countries is essential to control and manage these events. Robust surveillance data is critical to monitor and inform the public health response in an accurate and timely fashion.