Christmas, time to be sick. Many people meet a lot of other people, kiss each other and travel all around the world, especially toward the tropics. But almost 50% of travellers returning to Europe and North America experience with health problems related to their travel, and 8% of them consult doctors either abroad or on return. On the other hand, “untreatable” infections are increasing worldwide, because of bacterial resistance toward antibiotics, a phenomenon that affects especially patients with tuberculosis and children. But we are not safe even if we are in our own home: bacteria are everywhere, particularly behind the bed, in the kitchen and in the toilet. Bacterial presence has been revealed also on mobile phones, and even on the “mouse” and “keyboard” of our personal computers. Among many billions of bacteria, more than 1500 are dangerous for our health, causing different diseases such as pneumonia or skin infections. Infectious diseases and antibiotic resistance are the matters of the Press Conference organised today by the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases – ESCMID.

“One third of people travelling abroad experience a travel-related illness”, says Prof. R. Read, of the Sheffield University Medical School (U.K), “diarrhoea and upper respiratory infection are the most common travellers’ diseases. On a typical two-week trip, travellers loose an average of three days because of illness; almost 20% percent of them remain ill after their return home, and another 10% need medical care”, pointed out Prof. Read. “Self made tourists and travellers who don’t care about dietary recommendations and vaccinations are at higher risk of gastrointestinal symptoms and Hepatitis A. Travellers going to the Indian Ocean’s area must be aware of the Chikungunya fever, while sexually transmitted diseases occur frequently (almost 5% of European travellers engage in casual sex). Additional risk factors are a long duration of staying abroad, young age, and travelling under basic conditions”.

One of the most dangerous infections is represented by tuberculosis, of which a dramatic re-emergence has been observed all over Europe. “Tuberculosis was believed to be almost eradicated, but in Europe and worldwide, there is more tuberculosis nowadays than 25 years ago, says Prof. J. Garau of the Hospital Mutua de Terrassa (Barcelona, Spain), there is no country that has eliminated it or where it is near to being eliminated”. Every year, 8.8 million people all over the world become infected by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and 1.6 million patients die.

Finally, bacteria at home, not only in the hospitals, are a serious danger for our health. “Commonly used objects, such as tables, utensils, computers, door knobs, and gym equipments can be contaminated with dangerous pathogens", says Prof. M. Akova, of the Hacettepe University (Ankara, Turkey). “These items and surfaces can be a potential source for cross infections, transmitting the bacteria and other microbes to other people”. Hands’ washing still remain the single most effective measure to reduce infections. “Washing hands properly with liquid soap (never with water alone!), concludes the expert, “after having used computers or telephones help us avoiding to carry dangerous bacteria directly at home”.

“These results”, resolves Prof. G. Cornaglia, of the Verona University (Italy) and ESCMID’s current President, “show that our Society is a focal point in Europe in the fields of research and spreading of information concerning all the infectious diseases, both the “old” and the “new” ones. Our results highlight the ESCMID’s contribution to build an alert system that is always in the lookout for understanding what happens in the world and for reacting quickly to ensure the prevention, the diagnosis and the cure of infections, and therefore to guarantee the health of everyone in the world”.