Friday, 13 September 2024 International Symposium on Phlebotomy Sandflies (ISOPS XI) gathered researchers from 27 countries
The Department of Biodiversity UP Famnit, in collaboration with the Association of Conservation Biologists (BIODIVA) and with the support of the CLIMOS project, has successfully concluded the 11th International Symposium on Phlebotomine Sandflies (ISOPS XI), dedicated to the latest developments in parasitology, microbiology, and medical entomology.
During the five-day event, held from September 9 to 13, 111 participants from 27 countries gathered at the Faculty of Tourism Studies at the University of Primorska in Portorož. The symposium brought together participants from Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Ecuador, France, India, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Laos, Portugal, Serbia, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Uruguay, the United States of America, and the United Kingdom. Among them were leading biologists, pharmacists, doctors, and veterinarians worldwide, who came together to exchange knowledge, innovations, and experiences, which are crucial for progress in both human and veterinary medicine.
In the opening ceremony, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vladimir Ivović from the Department of Biodiversity at UP FAMNIT, the chair of the organizing committee, welcomed all the participants and encouraged them to continue researching this seemingly charming sandfly.
As part of the symposium, 68 presentations were delivered by the participants. The organizers also arranged an excursion to one of the most beautiful caves in Europe, the Škocjan Caves, which is listed as a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site. Additionally, the participants took a stroll through the picturesque capital of Ljubljana and visited Bled.
At the end of the symposium, Dr. Ivović highlighted its success in a brief statement, noting that climate change, milder winters, and increased travel are increasingly affecting the spread of sandflies and the diseases they carry. Therefore, such events and the consolidation of knowledge worldwide are crucial.
"Today was the final day of the symposium, which we organize every four years. We are extremely pleased with this year's attendance, as we had over a hundred participants who shared new achievements, results, and insights related to sandfly research. We observe that climate change is undoubtedly affecting the distribution of diseases, and it is quite likely that we will increasingly record cases of diseases transmitted by these insects, even in Slovenia."
As he admitted, due to the spread of these insects, the results of various studies are very important. However, despite advanced research, controlling the disease itself is difficult, primarily due to daily migrations. "Researchers can mainly influence the spread of their population and thereby indirectly affect the occurrence of the disease, but the problem primarily arises from daily migrations, especially from Asian countries where the diseases are transmitted" he explains.
According to Ivović, there is no common solution to prevent these diseases yet, as the solutions are either politically unsuitable or have negative environmental impacts. However, understanding sandflies certainly contributes to a better understanding of disease transmission.
One of the participants also shared his impressions of the symposium, emphasizing the event's organization: "The entire experience was very positive and well-organized. To sum up, I believe this is certainly one of the best ISOPS congresses to date," he adds.
ISOPS rotates between Europe, Asia, and one of the countries in South or North America. This time, the organization was handed over to the biologists from the University of Primorska.
The book of abstracts, which includes both presentations and posters, is available at the following link.
Full gallery > HERE
