Communicable disease network strengthened against bioterrorism

European health ministers are planning to strengthen and extend the existing European Union's communicable diseases network so that it can be used in the event of bioterrorist attacks.

The network already links a number of national surveillance institutes, and EU legislation lists the communicable diseases that need to be placed under continent-wide surveillance—such as tuberculosis, measles, influenza, AIDS, and hepatitis C.

The London based Communicable Disease …