Surveillance and control of communicable diseases related to passenger ships in Europe.

This study was conducted within the European SHIPSAN (ship sanitation) project and aims at exploring the legislative framework and current practices related to surveillance of communicable diseases and response aboard passenger ships in Europe. A detailed questionnaire was disseminated and completed by 59 competent authorities in 27 European countries. The majority of competent authorities used national legislation without special provisions for passenger ships.

State of the art: public health and passenger ships.

Background: The purpose of this report is to describe issues relevant to public health and to review all passenger ship associated diseases and outbreaks. Moreover, legislation and practices on sanitation and diseases surveillance related to ships internationally were also reviewed. Some relevant historical information about infections on merchant ships is provided as well.

Public health significance of chickenpox on ships - conclusions drawn from a case series in the port of Hamburg.

Background: Despite international notification requirements, the magnitude of disease transmission on board ships remains undetermined. This case series aims to exemplify that varicella aboard ships is a topic of interest for maritime medicine and of public health significance.

Material And Methods: Systematic presentation of cases of chickenpox reported to the Hamburg Port Health Authority between November 2007 and April 2008.

Hygiene inspections on passenger ships in Europe - an overview.

Background: Hygiene inspections on passenger ships are important for the prevention of communicable diseases. The European Union (EU) countries conduct hygiene inspections on passenger ships in order to ensure that appropriate measures have been taken to eliminate potential sources of contamination which could lead to the spread of communicable diseases. This study was implemented within the framework of the EU SHIPSAN project and it investigates the legislation applied and practices of hygiene inspections of passenger ships in the EU Member States (MS) and European Free Trade Association countries.

Occupational health legislation and practices related to seafarers on passenger ships focused on communicable diseases: results from a European cross-sectional study (EU SHIPSAN PROJECT).

Background: Seafarers play an important role in the transmission of communicable diseases. The aim of the present study is to draw information and identify possible gaps on occupational health practices related to seafarers sailing on ships within the European Union Member States (EU MS) with focus on communicable diseases.

Methods: A structured questionnaire was sent to competent authorities from 21 EU MS.