Old enemies and new solutions
Pest Management Group: Vector-borne Exotic Diseases 28 October 2005,
Belgrave Square, London
 The
emergence and re-emergence in the EU and US of vector-borne
diseases such as West Nile virus has led to an increased interest
in both predicting future viral incursions and in exploring
the underlying factors driving those that have already occurred.
This meeting will bring together entomologists, mathematical
modellers and virologists from the forefront of risk assessment.
It presents an overview of the vector-borne diseases which
are currently considered to be of greatest threat to the EU
and examines the use of mathematical modelling and satellite
imagery to both assess the risk of incursion of viruses and
to plan integrated control measures both prior to and following
detection.
The meeting will also highlight those entomological and pathogen
aspects of disease transmission that are driven by climate,
which are of significant interest given current forecasts
of climate change. In addition, the major areas of risk assessment
will be explored through examining case studies of both ongoing
epidemics and those pathogens thought to be of immediate risk
to the EU.
The meeting will provide a condensed briefing for those involved
in risk assessment decision-making, and promote cross-discipline
discussion across the fields of parasitology, virology and
mathematical modelling. It will also be of particular interest
to those with an interest in the future influence of climate
change in public health and the planning of measures to minimise
these impacts.
By Dr Simon Carpenter, SCI Pest Management
Group
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