Disease Ecology

Vector-borne diseases are a global threat to human and animal health. Outbreaks of dengue and chikungunya in Europe, increasing case reports of malaria in Africa, as well as exotic mosquito and tick species spreading into novel territories keep making news headlines. The drivers underlying these phenomena are multi-factorial, and often there is no single cause that is responsible for the observed patterns. Tackling vector-borne diseases, therefore, requires a holistic, integrated approach within which the interactions among the main players (i.e. the vector, the host and the pathogen) are placed in the context of their changing environment. 

This 1-week course Disease Ecology will cover four themes: (1) biodiversity and nature-based solutions as part of the One Health approach to mitigate vector-borne disease risk, (2) the role of monitoring and surveillance in early warning and timely action in vector-borne disease control, (3) new and promising vector-borne disease control methods (e.g. sterile insect techniques, anti-vector vaccines, biological control), and (4) methods for the appropriate evaluation of the effectiveness of interventions. 

The course is open to people with an interest in the field of ecology and epidemiology. Although the focus is on vector-borne diseases, there will be ample opportunity to learn more about the wider context of health and disease in human and animal populations.

Through a series of interactive lectures, discussions, practical sessions and a field excursion. You will learn to apply a systems thinking approach to vector-borne disease ecology and control, with a particular focus on vector-pathogen-host interactions in their (natural) environment. We have invited a long list of highly respected speakers working in the field of vector-borne disease ecology and control!