Since 2001, Merial has organised every year a symposium on different parasitology and infectious disease topics. These meetings provide an opportunity for the participants to exchange their research results, discuss common points and differences, and set up collaborations between institutes, universities, and countries, with or without the active support of Merial. Participants are generally researchers from universities or research institutes, scientists, doctors, or veterinary surgeons. One of the Group's main objectives is the control of arthropods acting as vectors of pathogens, and the treatment of infectious diseases in animals. Since 2000, Merial has worked on epidemiological surveys, surveillance networks, and control methods against vector-borne and/or parasitic diseases.
The past few years have seen the emergence of new diseases, or re-emergence of existing ones, sometimes with changes in their epidemiology. During its last symposium held in Zagreb (Croatia) on October 4th-6th, 2006, Merial wanted to provide a review of these epidemiological changes (in terms of geographical distribution, prevalence, or pathogenicity), as well as of the possible reasons driving these changes.
The symposium was attended by 75 delegates. The speakers covered a large range of themes on viral, bacterial or parasitic diseases, but there were also presentations from experts on climate and/or socio-economic changes likely to impact animal or human health.
This symposium confirmed the rising frequency of vector-borne diseases in Europe, as well as the increased circulation of pathogens. These changes are clearly driven by human factors, but global warming also has a direct impact on arthropod vectors (population density, geographical distribution, vectorial capacity). Fortunately, surveillance networks are being put in place, monitoring both human and animal health, as the majority of these diseases are zoonoses.
