International One Health Symposium 2026

Oct 5, 2026, 12:00 PM → Oct 7, 2026, 4:00 PM Europe/Berlin

https://www.hotel-berlin.de/en (Hotel Berlin, Berlin)

 

Welcome to the International One Health Symposium 2026

 

Date: October 5th - October 7th, 2026

Venue: Hotel Berlin, Berlin, Lützowplatz 17, 10785 Berlin

 

Participation fees:

€110 for undergraduate student, graduate student, PhD student

€330 for postdocs, senior scientists, public health workers, etc.

 

Program

We have been able to secure outstanding keynote speakers for our symposium, and in addition to the traditional sessions, we have included interactive formats in the program. Take a look at the preliminary program and please note that it is subject to minor changes without special notice.

 

The Call for Abstracts deadline has been extended to June 29th, 2026.

Please submit your contribution on one of the following topics and read the instructions carefully:

• Agriculture & Food Systems

• AMR

• Climate Change, Ecosystems, Environmental Pollution
• Conservation, Biodiversity & Wildlife Health
• Genomics and Proteomics
• Novel and Emerging Pathogens
• Novel Methods, Technologies & AI

• Pandemic Preparedness & Prevention

• Public Health
• Education, Implementation
• Research consortia on the topic of "Pandemic prevention and response within a One Health framework" (only for the Pandemic networks currently funded by the BMFTR)
• Vaccines & Immunology
• Vectors

 

Certification

The conference has been certified with 14 ATF hours by the "Akademie für tierärztliche Fortbildung" and last year with 12 CME points by the "Ärztekammer Berlin"; an application for accreditation as continuing education will also be submitted this year.

 

Travel grants

We are pleased to announce that we are awarding 10 travel grants for young scientists from Latin America to participate in the symposium and to share their expertise and research results.

Click here to learn more about the requirements.

 

Social media

Please use the symposiums hashtag #OHS2026 and tag the One Health Platform when you post. We will like and share all the posts we see.

 

Conference language: English                                                                 

Please keep an eye on your email for further announcements.

 

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Funded by:

                 

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Mon, October 5

12:00 PM → 1:00 PM Registration / Daily Check-in & Finger food

1:00 PM → 1:20 PM Welcome Note

Convener: Sascha Knauf

1:20 PM → 1:50 PM Keynote I: David S. Barbosa - Title: One Health and the Climate Agenda: Integrating the Triple Planetary Crisis into Health Governance, Equity, and Synergistic Response towards COP30

Convener: Stephan Ludwig

2:00 PM → 3:30 PM Session 1: Vectors I

Conveners: Martin Pfeffer, Stefanie Becker

2:00 PM Temperature-driven mortality in Aedes aegypti and its role in modulating dengue outbreaks: an ecological time-series analysis

Background: Temperature influences dengue transmission, but the direction and magnitude of extreme heat effects on vector populations remain unclear. This study quantifies how cumulative heat-induced mortality in adult Aedes aegypti contributes to dengue incidence under real conditions, adopting a One Health perspective linking climate variability, vector biology, and human disease risk.

Methods: We combined a thermal tolerance landscape with a dynamic thermal tolerance model to predict mosquito mortality under variable temperatures, using laboratory heat tolerance data on A. aegypti. Daily survival probabilities are being aggregated into weekly cumulative measures and incorporated into a negative binomial regression within a distributed lag non-linear model, estimating the exposure-lag-response between predicted mortality and dengue incidence across three Brazilian municipalities, using ERA5 reanalysis data, adjusting for humidity and precipitation, with 1-3 week lags reflecting dengue's incubation period.

Findings: The thermal tolerance landscape yielded a CTmax of 49.9°C and z = 5.88°C (r² = 0.993): survival time decreases one order of magnitude for every 5.88°C increase in temperature. Predicted mortality varied among municipalities, peaking during sustained thermal accumulation, coinciding with the warmest periods rather than isolated spikes. The DLNM analysis linking mortality to dengue incidence is underway, and full results will be presented at the symposium.

Speaker: Nicolhole Atero (SENTINET: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and New Technologies for Infectious Emerging Threats, Av. Vicuña Mackenna 4860, Macul, Santiago, Región Metropolitana 7820436, Chile.)

2:15 PM An experimental field approach to study climate warming effects on container-breeding mosquitoes

Climate change and urbanization facilitate the spread of container-breeding mosquitoes, increasing the risk of mosquito-borne disease outbreaks in previously unaffected regions. However, most knowledge of mosquito thermal biology is based on laboratory studies. Here, we present the first results of a novel field experiment assessing climate warming effects on urban mosquito populations. Using low-cost, open-source Arduino hardware, we developed an automated heating system to warm water in experimental containers relative to unmanipulated controls. At eight sites in Hamburg (Germany), four 90-L containers were installed: one control and three treatments maintained at +1.5°C, +3.0°C, and +4.5°C above the control, reflecting projected IPCC warming scenarios. From June to September 2025, weekly measurements included water level, pH, electrical conductivity, Culex egg rafts, and insect emergence. Approximately 40,000 insects emerged from the 32 containers. Culex pipiens s.s. and Cx. torrentium accounted for ~95% of specimens. Culex productivity was ~20% higher in the +1.5°C and ~10% higher in the +3.0°C treatments than in the control and +4.5°C treatment. In addition, the wing size of the emerging mosquitoes decreased significantly with increasing water temperature, suggesting fitness-related effects. This cost-effective field approach enables ecologically realistic experiments to assess climate change impacts on urban mosquitoes and other aquatic insects.

Speaker: Felix Sauer (Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine)

2:30 PM Human presence shapes mosquito community composition and virus abundance in a Savannah ecosystem

Anthropogenic land-use change reshapes mosquito communities with implications for arbovirus ecology. However, joint assessments of mosquito and virus communities across land-use types remain rare, particularly in African savannah ecosystems. We characterized both communities along an anthropogenic disturbance gradient in the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area in Namibia.
In 2023, 7,727 mosquitoes (54 species) were collected across six land-use categories (national park, communal conservation area, rangeland, agriculture, village, town), using BG-Sentinel, CDC light and gravid traps. Urban sites showed the highest abundance and lowest diversity of mosquitoes, accompanied by a pronounced shift towards anthropophilic vector species, particularly Culex quinquefasciatus. Human presence was identified as a key driver for variations in mosquito community composition. Mansonia uniformis, common in intermediately disturbed habitats, harbored twice the virus richness and much higher infection rates than the more abundant Cx. quinquefasciatus, highlighting mosquito species identity as a major determinant of virus abundance. Virus communities, comprising mostly insect-specific viruses, were closely linked to mosquito community patterns.
Our results demonstrate that land-use change influences virus abundance primarily through restructuring mosquito communities, with anthropophilic vector species dominating in human settlements suggesting elevated arbovirus transmission risk.

Speaker: Hannah Munzel (Institute of Virology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany.)

2:45 PM Behavioral Plasticity in Ixodes ricinus: Linking Energy Reserves to Host-Seeking Activity and Infection Transmission Potential

The seasonal dynamics of tick-host interactions are critical for the transmission of vector-borne pathogens, yet the physiological drivers of behavioral plasticity in Ixodes ricinus remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigated how seasonal changes in energy reserves influence host-seeking behavior and infection transmission potential. Monthly flagging of I. ricinus across a full year revealed significant seasonal shifts in questing activity, with peak host-seeking behavior observed in spring and autumn. To assess the impact of infection on behavior, we artificially infected ticks with the Jingmenvirus Alongshan virus strain Harz Mountain (ALSV_HM), recently identified in Ixodes ricinus ticks collected from game animals in Lower Saxony, Germany. Seven days post-infection, we re-evaluated their host-seeking behavior. Infected ticks exhibited altered behavioral patterns, including increased questing height and decreased sensitivity toward repellents, particularly during peak seasonal windows. To elucidate the underlying physiological mechanisms, we quantified lipid, protein, and carbohydrate levels in ticks collected at different time points and across infection states. This study provides a mechanistic link between seasonal physiology, infection-induced behavioral changes, and vector competence, highlighting the importance of integrating metabolic and behavioral data to predict and mitigate disease risk.

Speaker: Paula Hornauer (Stiftung Tierärztliche Hochschule Hannover)

3:00 PM Hidden interactions in ticks: Co-infection patterns of Borrelia spp. as indicators of TBEV microfoci

The ecological mechanisms underlying the spatial restriction of tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) foci remain poorly understood. As Ixodes ricinus frequently carries multiple pathogens, interactions between Borrelia spp. and TBEV may contribute to focal virus persistence. Therefore, co-infection patterns and Borrelia species composition were investigated in relation to TBEV, in different hotspots in southern Germany. Between 2023 and 2025, 5,585 I. ricinus ticks from TBEV hotspots and adjacent TBEV-free sites in Stuttgart, Flappach, and Wangen in South Germany were screened using PCR methods. Overall, Borrelia spp. were detected in 23.4% of ticks, whereas TBEV prevalence in hotspots was low (0.4%; 15/3,535). Borrelia afzelii was the predominant species. Ticks collected from TBEV hotspots showed a significantly higher probability of Borrelia infection compared to TBEV-free sites (p = 0.034; n = 3,535). While the presence of B. afzelii significantly increased the probability of TBEV detection (p = 0.034),B. burgdorferi s.s. showed a positive but insignificant association (p = 0.095). Co-infections occurred in six of fifteen TBEV-positive ticks. Although these associations are consistent with shared reservoir hosts and overlapping transmission cycles, they provide valuable insights into the ecological structure of TBEV microfoci. Borrelia composition may represent an ecological indicator of environmental conditions supporting long-term TBEV persistence.

Speaker: Katrin Fachet-Lehmann (University of Hohenheim, Department of Parasitology, Stuttgart)

3:15 PM The Role of Raccoons in Tick-Borne Disease Ecology

Understanding the contribution of wildlife species to the maintenance and spread of zoonotic pathogens is a key component of the One Health concept. However, the role of raccoons in the epidemiology of tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) has remained unexplored. In this study, raccoons from Baden-Wuerttemberg, one of the main endemic TBE areas in Germany, were screened for TBEV infections using molecular and serological methods.
TBEV RNA and neutralizing antibodies were detected in a substantial proportion of the examined animals. Overall, 40.9% (38/93) of raccoons tested positive for TBEV as first evidence of TBEV infections in raccoons in Germany, with prevalences ranging from 20.0 – 66.6%. Positive raccoons clustered in eastern Baden-Wuerttemberg, where 15 of 24 raccoons from district Ostalbkreis tested positive. A second hotspot was identified in the urban district of Heidelberg-Wieblingen, with 11 of 22 animals tested positive. In total, 18 individuals were positive by both PCR and virus neutralization assay.
Given their high tick infestation rates, wide-ranging movements and increasing adaptation to urban environments, raccoons may represent an epidemiologically relevant bridge linking wildlife reservoirs, tick populations, domestic animals and humans. Our findings highlight the importance of including invasive wildlife species in TBEV surveillance and the need for a One Health approach to better understand pathogen circulation at the human–animal–environment interface

Speaker: Alexander Lindau (University of Hohenheim, Department of Parasitology)

2:00 PM → 3:30 PM Session 2: Novel and Emerging Pathogens

Conveners: Fabian Leendertz, Mr Maximilian Rohde

2:00 PM Establishing One Health surveillance across human, domestic animals, wildlife and arthropod vectors in two different Brazilian biomes.

Background: Integrated field data from Brazil's biodiverse, fast-changing biomes are scarce. We will investigate the human–animal–environment interface in two different Brazilian biomes: the Pantanal and the Cerrado.

Methods: In a cross-sectional One Health survey, following ethical approval for both human and animal research, 147 rural residents underwent a sociodemographic questionnaire and dermatoneurological examination with active leprosy screening. In parallel, samples were obtained from domestic dogs (sentinels), free-ranging six-banded armadillos (Euphractus sexcinctus) captured by a specialised veterinary team, and Amblyomma sculptum ticks; whole blood, serum, nasal swabs and ticks were cryopreserved under a standardised protocol. Animal and vector samples will be analysed by untargeted next generation metagenomic sequencing, with host depletion and phylogenetic assignment of divergent viruses.

Results: Ten leprosy cases were clinically diagnosed, illustrating the burden of a neglected disease with recognized zoonotic host/reservoir at the study sites. We assembled a paired, cross-biome biobank of 124 canine, 34 armadillo and 62 tick samples alongside the human cohort forming an integrated One Health biobank.

Conclusions: By coupling wildlife and vector virome discovery with paired host sampling across both biomes, this platform provides a foundation to detect emerging infectious agents and anticipate spillover in threatened Brazilian ecosystems.

Speaker: Tomas Moutinho (University of São Paulo)

2:15 PM Rethinking arboviral risk in malaria-endemic Africa

We conducted a prospective multicentre seroepidemiological study including 2,283 febrile patients from Côte d’Ivoire and Gabon between 2022 and 2024. IgG antibodies against dengue virus (DENV), Zika virus, West Nile virus, and Rift Valley fever virus were assessed using a novel high-specificity ELISA platform designed to reduce flaviviral cross-reactivity. Plasmodium infection was determined by routine diagnostics, and questionnaire-derived Exposure and Socioeconomic Indices were used to assess environmental and structural risk factors. Our findings redefine current assumptions of arboviral circulation in both regions. In Côte d’Ivoire, we provide the first broad assessment of arboviral exposure beyond dengue outbreak surveillance, while in Gabon improved serological specificity revealed a less heterogeneous arboviral landscape than previously suggested. Despite different ecological and epidemiological backgrounds, both countries showed similar patterns dominated by DENV exposure, with limited circulation of other arboviruses. Importantly, DENV IgG seropositivity and Plasmodium infection were strongly linked to cumulative exposure and socioeconomic conditions, particularly in children, identifying early life as a critical window of combined vector exposure.
These results highlight the need for integrated One Health surveillance approaches combining human diagnostics, vector ecology, and environmental risk assessment to better anticipate emerging vector-borne disease threats.

Speaker: Dr Fanny Hellhammer (TiHo Hannover AG VABI)

2:30 PM Bats Are Susceptible to H5N1 Infection but Rapidly Control Virus Replication

Highly pathogenic avian influenza A virus (H5N1) continues to circulate globally in wild birds and is increasingly detected in mammals, highlighting the risk of cross-species transmission. Serological evidence of exposure in South American vampire bats and reports of H5N1-positive flying foxes in Bangladesh suggest that bats are susceptible to infection. However, their role in H5N1 ecology remains unclear. We investigated H5N1 susceptibility in bats using in vitro and in vivo models. Bat-derived cell lines from diverse species supported H5N1 replication, demonstrating permissiveness to infection. We then developed an experimental infection model in Jamaican fruit bats (Artibeus spp.) and inoculated animals via intranasal and oral routes. Infected bats showed productive infection, with viral RNA and infectious virus detected in respiratory and intestinal samples. Virus shedding was transient and declined within five days. Despite infection, bats exhibited no clinical signs, morbidity or mortality, suggesting effective control of viral replication and limited disease progression. These findings demonstrate that Jamaican fruit bats are susceptible to H5N1 infection and can transiently shed virus without developing severe disease. The results identify bats as potential incidental hosts and raise important questions about their role in H5N1 maintenance and transmission at the wildlife–livestock–human interface.
This work was supported by the Intramural Research Program, NIAID,NIH.

Speaker: Dr Arthur Wickenhagen (1 Laboratory of Virology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT, USA 2 Laboratory for Host-Virus Systems and Transmission, Helmholtz Institute for One Health (HIOH), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Greifswald, Germany)

2:45 PM Full genome sequencing of Ekpoma Virus 2 from human sera, Uganda

Ekpoma virus 2 (EKV-2) is a human-associated rhabdovirus first detected in a febrile case in Nigeria. Seroprevalence studies from Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) reported EKV-2 reactivity rates ranging from 4 – 94%. EKV-2 is closely related to Mundri virus (MUNV), identified in the cerebrospinal fluid of a girl with nodding syndrome in South Sudan, and to Bas-Congo virus (BASV), which has been linked to severe cases of haemorrhagic fever in the DRC.
In a cross-sectional study, we collected 2,062 human serum samples from 20 locations across the Albertine Rift region of Uganda and tested them for acute viral infections using next-generation sequencing.
We identified EKV-2 in two samples: a 39-year-old woman from an urban centre who reported febrile symptoms, and an asymptomatic 22-year-old man from a rural village 55 km away. Full genomes were obtained from both samples sharing 99% nucleotide (nt) with each other, and 89% nt identity with the Nigerian prototype strain. Phylogenetically, both strains clustered with EKV-2 and formed a clade with MUNV and BASV. To investigate human exposure to EKV-2 in the Albertine Rift region, we established a recombinant immunofluoresence assay as virus isolation in cell culture was not successful. The analyses are ongoing and will provide insights into the geographic distribution of EKV-2, potential regional differences and sociodemographic characteristics associated with EKV-2.

Speaker: Selina L. Graff (Institute of Virology, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, 10117 Berlin, Germany)

3:00 PM Decoding Vascular Responses to Disparate Hemorrhagic Viruses: Andes and Ebola Viruses

Andes virus (ANDV) and Ebola virus (EBOV) are zoonotic pathogens that cause related severe vascular disease despite belonging to distinct virus families. So far, it is poorly understood whether unrelated viral hemorrhagic fevers elicit common or divergent host responses in the human vasculature.
To address this, we generated highly pure artery and vein endothelial cells (ECs) from human pluripotent stem cells, providing a physiologically relevant model of the human vasculature. Comparative infection studies revealed strikingly different host responses to ANDV versus EBOV. In artery ECs, ANDV induced robust antiviral and inflammatory programs, e.g. interferon-α/β, interferon-stimulated gene pathways, ISGylation, and cytokine storm signaling. Contrastingly, many of these pathways were suppressed during EBOV infection, indicating fundamentally different strategies of host immune modulation. A comparison of artery versus vein ECs showed mainly similar responses, with a few vessel-specific responses: COPII-mediated vesicle transport was increased in artery but reduced in vein following both infections, while EBOV selectively induced artery-specific activation of interleukin-1 family signaling and SUMOylation pathways.
These findings demonstrate that endothelial responses are both virus-specific and, to a lesser extent, vessel-type dependent. This highlights the utility of human stem cell-derived vascular models for understanding the mechanisms of viral vascular disease.

Speaker: Dr Isabel von Creytz (Center for Biological Threats and Special Pathogens, Robert Koch Institute, 13343 Berlin, Germany)

3:15 PM Monkeypox virus in the wild: new insights into animal hosts and between species transmission

Mpox is an emerging zoonosis caused by the monkeypox virus (MPXV) which is endemic in West and Central Africa. Most zoonotic MPXV spillovers cause isolated cases or short transmission chains, but lineages showing sustained human-to-human transmission have recently spread. Rodents are thought to be MPXV reservoirs, but conclusive evidence linking human mpox cases to these animals is lacking. The spectrum of potential animal hosts as well as zoonotic transmission routes of MPXV are unknown. Here, we present novel insights into MPXV in wildlife. We traced the origin of an mpox outbreak in wild sooty mangabeys in Tai National Park (TNP), Côte d’Ivoire, to the consumption of an MPXV-infected fire-footed rope squirrel, suggesting these squirrels are MPXV reservoirs. Infected mangabeys contaminated fruit with viable MPXV, and the detection of an MPXV-infected strictly herbivorous red colobus monkey suggests that environmental contamination may play a role in between-species transmission. We also identified orthopoxvirus-positive duikers, including an MPXV-infected Maxwell’s duiker in TNP. Camera traps and diet metabarcoding revealed duikers as frequent scavengers, including on known MPXV hosts, which may expose them to MPXV. While duikers likely represent accidental MPXV hosts, they are frequently consumed by humans and other animals, and may therefore play a role in MPXV emergence. Indeed, duiker consumption may have led to an mpox outbreak in a wild chimpanzee community in TNP.

Speaker: Ariane Düx (Helmholtz Institute for One Health)

3:30 PM → 4:00 PM Coffee Break

4:00 PM → 4:30 PM Keynote II: Agustina Rimondi, Title: H5N1 in Argentina: From Wildlife Surveillance to a One Health Network

4:45 PM → 6:15 PM Session 3: Pandemic Preparedness & Prevention

Conveners: Dr Annika Graaf-Rau, Sascha Knauf

4:45 PM Can Wastewater-Based Epidemiology and Artificial Intelligence Predict Nosocomial Infections?

Early detection and prediction of nosocomial infections remain major challenges for hospital infection control and antimicrobial stewardship programs. In this study, we evaluated the potential of wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) combined with shotgun metagenomics and artificial intelligence (AI) to predict the occurrence of antibiotic-resistant pathogens in a large tertiary-care hospital located in the Ruhr metropolitan region of Germany.
Over a two-year period, hospital effluent was sampled weekly, resulting in a total of 104 wastewater samples. In parallel, clinical microbiology records were collected, including isolates and associated antibiotic resistance profiles identified in routine diagnostics.
Our results demonstrate that hospital wastewater contains substantial predictive information regarding the emergence and prevalence of antibiotic-resistant pathogens. Depending on the organism and resistance phenotype, wastewater-derived signals provided an early warning window of approximately one to three weeks before corresponding increases were observed in clinical isolates. This lead time could support targeted infection prevention measures, enhanced surveillance activities and proactive antimicrobial stewardship interventions.
A One Health AI approach linking environmental monitoring with clinical microbiology and public health can successfully support clinical infection control.

Speaker: Folker Meyer (Universität Duisburg-Essen)

5:00 PM Immune function and Coronavirus prevalence in straw-coloured fruit bats (Eidolon helvum) at the Human-bat Interface in Nigeria

Straw-coloured fruit bat (Eidolon helvum) is a widely distributed African tropical bat species. They are a known reservoir for coronaviruses and well-adapted to anthropogenic environments, both in urban and rural areas. Despite their reservoir role, there is lack of information how anthropogenic activities could influence bat physiology and viral shedding. In this study we investigated the immunological and coronavirus prevalence differences between urban and rural environments in Nigeria. We measured innate and adaptive humoral and cellular immune makers, and calculated stress parameters such as Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR) and Systemic Inflammation Response Index (SIRI). We found that basophil and eosinophil levels are higher in the urban environment, triggered by the habitat rather than the sex or coronavirus status. Similar results were found for immunoglobulin G, lysozyme and body condition, with urban bats showing higher values than rural conspecifics. The other parameters measured were not associated with the environment, NLR and SIRI tended to be higher in females. Furthermore, we also found higher coronavirus prevalence in the urban bats. Our study suggests that urbanization contributes to alteration in immune function and the coronavirus prevalence in Eidolon helvum have higher significant in the urban environment. This pattern also suggest that human activities, resources and high population density could be importants factor in Eidolon helvum physiology.

Speaker: Chinedu I. Ngene (Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research Berlin. Free University Berlin, Germany)

5:15 PM BTN3A3 resistance of emerging influenza A viruses is shaped by Mx1 of mammalian intermediate host species.

Zoonotic infections with influenza A viruses (IAVs) of animal-origin are typically self-limiting but can occasionally give rise to pandemics provided human host barriers are overcome. The recently identified human BTN3A3 (butyrophilin subfamily 3 member A3) is a potent restriction factor for zoonotic IAVs. Human-adapted IAVs overcome BTN3A3 restriction through adaptive residues 52 (N, H, Q) or 313 (Y, V) in the viral nucleoprotein (NP). Notably, these residues are associated with resistance to myxovirus resistance 1 (Mx1) proteins from human, swine, and bats. We thus hypothesized that BTN3A3 resistance might emerge as a result of Mx1-mediated selection pressure in intermediate hosts expressing antivirally active Mx1. To test this, we generated reassortant viruses carrying NP of different mammalian-derived IAVs and assessed viral replication in BTN3A3-expressing cells. Combining comparative mutagenesis with polymerase reconstitution assays, we found that NP residues conferring resistance to bat or swine Mx1 proteins also confer BTN3A3 resistance. Because bats and swine lack antivirally active BTN3A3, these adaptive residues emerged under Mx1-mediated selection pressure. Our findings demonstrate that resistance to the human restriction factor BTN3A3 can evolve in Mx1-competent intermediate hosts, providing new insight into the zoonotic potential of animal IAVs and the role of BTN3A3 in limiting zoonotic transmission.

Speaker: Jamina Molsen (Institute of Virology, Medical Center University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany)

5:30 PM Community-Centred One Health Preparedness for Ebola Virus Disease in a Transboundary Biodiversity Hotspot: Evidence from the Greater Virunga Landscape (GVL), Uganda

The Greater Virunga Landscape (GVL), spanning Uganda, Rwanda, and DRC, is a biodiversity hotspot where wildlife-human-livestock interactions and fragile health systems drive zoonotic risk. In May 2026, Uganda confirmed an Ebola Bundibugyo outbreak imported from DRC; by 2 June, 15 cases were confirmed, prompting a WHO PHEIC. No vaccine or treatment exists.
Between 1-9 June 2026, the SOH-PPR-GVL project (GVTC, Gorilla Doctors, WWF Uganda; World Bank Pandemic Fund via FAO, WHO, UNICEF) deployed a rapid One Health response across seven border districts: Bundibugyo, Ntoroko, Bunyangabu, Kabarole, Kanungu, Kasese, Rukungiri. Teams trained VHTs/CHEWs, ran risk communication at schools, markets, facilities, radio talk shows, Point of Entry assessments, and One Health meetings.
The intervention reached 5,000+ people, including 700 VHTs/CHEWs, 1,903 pupils in Kanungu, and 100 cultural leaders.
Four findings emerged: misinformation undermined trust in three districts; risk perception was low community-wide; IPC infrastructure was inadequate everywhere; porous border crossings remained unmonitored. One district's O.H team had not met since November 2025.
This shows that pre-existing community infrastructure enables swift outbreak pivoting. Preparedness in transboundary biodiversity hotspots is fundamentally social, not only technical. Sustained investment in community health workers, coordination, and border surveillance is the most cost-effective path to preventing zoonotic spillovers

Speakers: Ms Jenifer Nancy Alaba (WWF Uganda Country Office), mugisha kwiringira (Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF), Uganda Country Office)

5:45 PM One Health Systems Readiness Assessment in Croatia, Ghana and Nigeria: Development of an Assessment Tool for Evidence-informed Policy Making

While One Health (OH) principles are widely recognized, countries have yet to fully embed them into operational governance systems, slowing progress on coordinated efforts to address zoonotic transmission, AMR, and environmental health. The “KOHSRA” tool was developed to assess national readiness for OH implementation and to identify governance and policy gaps, and piloted in Croatia, Ghana, and Nigeria.
KOHSRA´s protocol includes the following steps: desk review of legal and policy frameworks and stakeholder mapping; multisectoral deliberative workshops; consensus‑based scoring across five domains; and consolidation through SWOT analysis and priority setting.
All pilot countries showed a certain level of OH integration, but institutionalization remained uneven. Nigeria had a strategic plan and coordinating unit but still faced coordination challenges. Ghana had an active technical working group and draft policy, but limited legal mandates and data integration. Croatia had strong surveillance and EU‑aligned regulations but lacked a formal OH policy and coordinating body. Common gaps included absent OH policies and budgets, fragmented data, weak knowledge translation, limited community engagement, and inadequate evaluation.
Strengthening OH governance requires formalized policies, sustainable financing, interoperable data systems, and institutionalized coordination. KOHSRA offers a practical framework for diagnosing system gaps and guiding policy dialogue and investment.

Speaker: Anna Fahrion (Friedrich Loeffler Institut FLI)

6:00 PM Stigmatization in the context of a pandemic: Implications for pandemic preparedness

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic was not only a global health crisis but also a catalyst for stigmatization processes. In the BMFTR-funded “StiPEx” project, we integrate qualitative and quantitative methods to conduct a comprehensive analysis of these stigmatization processes and develop anti-stigma guidelines and toolkits for pandemic preparedness.

Methods: Through systematic reviews, we compiled existing measurement tools for assessing stigmatization related to COVID-19, infectious diseases as well as interventions in this context.
To evaluate individual experiences of stigmatization during the pandemic, we conducted interviews with various target groups: 1) healthcare workers, 2) psychotherapists, 3) the general public, and 4) patients with Long COVID. The interviews were analyzed using qualitative content analysis.
In addition, we conducted a representative population survey in three waves to assess public and internalized stigma regarding COVID-19-related topics (e.g., COVID-19 infection, Long COVID).

Results / Discussion: Based on our findings, we derive practical recommendations for action and communication aimed at policymakers and public health professionals. The goal is to shape and promote anti-stigma efforts and stigma research in the context of infectious diseases over the long term and foster pandemic preparedness.

Speaker: Mr Samuel Tomczyk (Universitätsmedizin Rostock)

4:45 PM → 6:00 PM Session 4: Climate Change, Ecosystems, Environmental Pollution

Convener: Simone Sommer

4:45 PM Wastewater based surveillance of fungi and mycotoxins

Wastewater and environmental surveillance (WES) has emerged as a powerful tool for monitoring population-level health and environmental exposure. Although WES is widely used for viruses, bacteria and chemical biomarkers such as pharmaceuticals and illicit drugs, its potential for tracking fungal communities and associated mycotoxins within a One Health framework has not been fully realized.

This study surveys the mycobiome and mycotoxins in urban wastewater. Over the course of one year, composite wastewater samples were collected from wastewater treatment plants serving three German cities of different sizes. The composition of the fungal community was characterized through high-throughput sequencing. In parallel, a SPE-UHPLC-MS/MS method was used for the targeted quantitative analysis of selected mycotoxins.

The wastewater mycobiome across all sites showed low seasonality and a dominance of yeasts and yeast-like members. Fungal pathogens and mycotoxin producers were rare if present at all, and most of the mycobiome members were derived from human or environmental sources. Thirteen out of the 35 screened mycotoxins were detected, with several being identified consistently across all seasons, including enniatins, tenuazonic acid, and more site-specific toxins. Combining wastewater mycobiome with targeted mycotoxin quantification provides a promising approach for environmental surveillance of fungal risks in urban ecosystems.

Speaker: Christian Wurzbacher (Technical University of Munich)

5:00 PM ZOOM: A glimpse into antimicrobial resistance in Berlin through wastewater surveillance

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing threat to public health, and the European Union has introduced AMR monitoring regulations for wastewater (WW). Here, we implemented a multi-method approach to assess prevalence and circulation of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in the Berlin metropolitan area. In October 2025, we collected samples from the Schönerlinde WW treatment plant. We profiled the resistome using two methods: i) metatranscriptomic molecular assessment and ii) culture-enriched metagenomics. Metatranscriptomic profiles revealed ARGs conferring resistance to various antibiotics in the influent samples. While these genes were co-abundant with environmental bacteria, they were also detected in plasmids common to clinically relevant bacteria. Although ARGs profiles showed a marked reduction following treatment, bacteria such as Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas could be enriched in selective media in samples taken before and after WW treatment, indicating their persistence in a viable state after treatment. The abundance of E. coli matched the overall occurrence of ARGs, while different Pseudomonas species correlated with clinically relevant genes. We demonstrate the potential of metagenomic approaches in AMR surveillance and the value of culture-enriched metagenomics in assessing the dissemination of clinically relevant ARGs through wastewater. This information is crucial for developing strategies to limit the spread of AMR in urban and suburban areas.

Speaker: Víctor Hugo Jarquín-Díaz (Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin, Germany)

5:15 PM Zoonotic virus dynamics in megadiverse regions: insights from wildlife across land-use gradients in Colombia

Land-use (LU) change in highly biodiverse regions is increasingly recognized as a key driver of zoonotic disease emergence. Such transformations reshape wildlife communities, alter vector dynamics, and create new interfaces among wildlife, domestic animals, and humans. The SIMPEL project aims to evaluate pathogen diversity and prevalence across a land-use gradient in the Colombian Amazon (Objective 4). Fieldwork was conducted at two sites (Calamar and San José) representing different disturbance levels. Bats and rodents were sampled in dry and wet seasons using swabs and blood samples. Screening targeted coronaviruses and arenaviruses using pan-PCR, complemented by viral enrichment and high-throughput sequencing. Preliminary results show widespread circulation of both viral families, with patterns varying by site and taxon. Coronavirus prevalence in bats showed contrasting trends, decreasing with disturbance in Calamar but increasing in San José, without significant differences across LU categories. In rodents, prevalence remained high (85–100%) regardless of LU. Arenavirus showed site specific dynamics, remaining low in Calamar bats but increasing in transformed areas in San José (p < 0.05), while remaining low in rodents (<10%). These results suggest that pathogen responses to LU change vary across host virus systems and local contexts, and highlights the need to integrate ecological and epidemiological data to better anticipate zoonotic spillover risk.

Speaker: Natalia Trujillo (Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt)

5:30 PM The pollen microbiome at the interface of air pollution and allergic sensitization: Genomic and NOx-responsive traits of Pantoea agglomerans

Pollinosis is a significant public health burden, with its rising prevalence linked to environmental factors like traffic-related air pollution (e.g. Nitrogen Oxides (NOx)) and climate change. The ability of pollen allergens to induce allergic sensitization depends on the co‐delivery of non‐allergenic adjuvants like bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS) and virulence factors, that promote Th2 polarization over allergy-protective Th1 responses. However, the genetic basis of this process is unknown. While NOx itself acts as an adjuvant by enhancing inflammation, it remains unclear whether frequent NOx exposure additionally enhances the adjuvant activity of pollen-associated bacteria by altering microbial traits related to LPS and virulence. We performed genomic characterization of P. agglomerans 11_6 isolated from Artemisia vulgaris pollen. Genome analysis detected several virulence factors, incl. proteases, T6SS effectors and hemolysin that might contribute to allergic sensitization. Except for two T6SS effectors and three LPS/EPS biosynthesis genes, virulence factors are highly conserved among P. agglomerans from different habitats. Transcriptome analysis of NOx-treated P. agglomerans 11_6 showed induction of RpoE-mediated envelope stress response pathways and altered expression of LPS, EPS and biofilm genes. This work provides a first basis for a One Health perspective on the link between air pollution, pollen microbiomes and allergic sensitization in urban environments.

Speaker: Lisa-Marie Streb (Research Unit Comparative Microbiome Analysis, Helmholtz Munich)

5:45 PM Improved Climate Characterisation and Persistence of West Nile Virus Risk in Europe based on regional climate model projections and Machine Learning

West Nile virus is expanding across Europe under climate change, yet continental projection studies largely focus on outbreak probability while providing limited information on suitability persistence or geographic velocity. We use an XGBoost framework to predict WNV outbreak probability at NUTS3 resolution across Europe using E-OBS observations, ECDC outbreak records (2010-2024), and a bias-adjusted EURO-CORDEX CMIP6 ensemble under SSP1-2.6 and SSP3-7.0. Unlike previous studies relying primarily on regional climate means, our framework represents climate using transmission-relevant thermal indices together with percentile-based spatial descriptors that better characterize intra-regional climate distributions. Prospective validation on unseen outbreak seasons (2023-2024) demonstrates strong temporal generalization, yielding ROC-AUCs of 0.87 to 0.91. Future projections indicate substantial northward expansion under SSP3-7.0 but limited expansion under SSP1-2.6. Beyond conventional probability maps, we introduce a persistence classification distinguishing sporadic, emerging, persistent, and endemic hotspot regions. This reveals increasing suitability across central Europe, while some southern hotspots exhibit reduced persistence consistent with temperatures exceeding thermal optimums. Under SSP3-7.0, the northern suitability frontier advances by ~43 to 55 km per decade vs. near-stable conditions under SSP1-2.6, providing an interpretable framework for public health adaptation.

Speaker: Mr Fuseini Yakubu (Climate Service Center Germany, Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon)

6:15 PM → 6:45 PM Poster Slam

7:00 PM → 8:00 PM Snacks & Poster Viewing I

8:00 PM → 9:00 PM Game Night

Tue, October 6

8:30 AM → 9:00 AM Registration / Daily Check-in

9:00 AM → 10:30 AM Session 5: Public Health I

Conveners: Anna Sophie Fahrion, Dimitrios Frangoulidis

9:00 AM Watching the buzzzz: Public, media and knowledge attention to mosquito-borne disease risk in Europe

Mosquito-borne disease risk is becoming increasingly visible in Europe, but countries are not experiencing or communicating this risk in the same way. Understanding how this risk is reported and framed matters because media coverage can shape public awareness, information-seeking behaviour, and support for preparedness. Here, we investigate how public, media and knowledge-seeking attention differs between countries with locally acquired mosquito-borne diseases (France, Italy and Spain) and countries where risk is emerging (Germany, Austria and Switzerland). The analysis focuses on two systems: the invasive tiger mosquito/Aedes-borne disease system and native Culex-borne disease system. We use Google Trends to assess public search interest, Media Cloud to examine media attention and framing, and Wikipedia pageviews to capture knowledge-seeking behaviour. The window covers January 2010 to December 2025, enabling comparison of seasonal patterns, attention peaks and cross-country differences. We expect to identify how attention varies across countries, whether peaks align across data sources, and how mosquitoes and mosquito-borne diseases are framed in relation to public health, climate change, invasive species, nuisance, surveillance, control, prevention and governance. By analysing attention as part of preparedness, this work contributes to a One Health understanding of mosquito-borne disease risk in Europe and may inform targeted communication and policy responses.

Speaker: Dr Maria Eugenia Degano (Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung)

9:15 AM When does forecasting become actionable? Real-time vs. seasonal prediction of Aedes aegypti abundance

Aedes aegypti, the primary vector of dengue, Zika, and chikungunya, has expanded its range globally, increasing demand for spatially granular forecasting tools to support vector control. Short-term forecasts can inform near-term surveillance and intervention planning; however, few studies evaluate real-time, site-level approaches operationally. Using weekly trap data from 2017–2023 across sites in Southern California, with Earth observation and meteorological predictors, we evaluated two forecasting problems: (1) out-of-sample prediction of the 2023 seasonal abundance trajectory using models trained on 2017–2022 data, and (2) two-week-ahead, site-level forecasts in a rolling framework. We compared a generalized additive model (GAM), Random Forest (RF), and spatial Random Forest (RFsp) against appropriate baselines. Seasonal models captured broad abundance patterns but failed to reproduce an unusually sharp late-summer peak; performance was sensitive to year-to-year variation poorly explained by environmental predictors. Rolling forecasts updated with recent observations substantially outperformed seasonal predictions; RFsp performed best, with spatial features improving accuracy and spatial coherence. Short-term forecasts using recent site-level data offer more reliable operational guidance than seasonal outlooks, particularly where Ae. aegypti is newly established. Findings inform the design of surveillance systems and forecast updating protocols for vector control.

Speaker: Dr Gaëlle Sehi (University of California Irvine; Institute of Epidemiology and Social Medicine, University of Münster)

9:30 AM Emergence of Northern European TBE virus strains in Central Europe

Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is the most important tick-borne viral disease in Europe. The virus belongs to the family “Flaviviridae”. Using genetic analyses strains from different geographic origin can be identified and characterized.
During the last years TBE virus strains were isolated and genetically characterized. The whole genomes of the isolated virus strains were sequenced and compared to the comprehensive TBE virus data base of the National TBE Reference laboratory.
During 2012 to 2025 a total of >400 TBE virus strains from >100 TBE natural foci in Germany and Europe were isolated and genetically characterized. Among these up to 2017, the TBEV strains identified had their origin mainly in Eastern European countries. Since 2018, a total of nine TBE viruses from different foci could be detected and characterized which were genetically closely related to TBE virus strains from Scandinavia, Russia and Latvia.
Northern European TBE virus strains are increasingly detected in Central Europe. Reasons for their increased emergence may be changes in bird migration which finally establish new TBE natural foci. So far, only limited data on their pathogenicity and the efficacy of the commercially available TBE vaccines against these emerging strains are available. The new Northern European TBE virus strains might be one reason for the increase of reported human TBE cases in Central Europe.

Speaker: Gerhard Dobler (Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology)

9:45 AM Burden and Awareness of Zoonotic Tuberculosis in Africa: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Zoonotic tuberculosis (zTB), caused by animal-associated members of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC), remains a public health problem in Africa. Understanding both the burden of zTB and community awareness is essential for zTB interventions.
Systematic reviews and meta-analyses were conducted following PRISMA guidelines. Studies reporting laboratory-confirmed MTBC species were included to estimate the proportion of zTB among confirmed TB cases, while studies reporting awareness of zTB were included to assess knowledge levels. Random-effects models were used to pool proportions, and subgroup analyses were performed by region and population group.
Fifty-seven studies were included in the proportion review and 38 studies in the awareness review. The pooled proportion of zTB among confirmed TB cases was 2.8% (95% CI: 1.8–4.3; I²=88.8%). Higher proportions were observed in Northern Africa (15%) and occupationally exposed populations (11.8%) than in hospital-based populations (2.4%). Pooled awareness of zTB was 25.8% (95% CI: 16.7–37.7; I²=96.7%). Awareness was highest among abattoir workers (57.5%) and lower among herdsmen (22.7%), smallholder farmers (20.9%), and pastoralists (18.0%). Regional awareness ranged from 12.9% in Southern Africa to 34.4% in Western Africa.
The coexistence of measurable zTB burden and low awareness among high-risk populations highlights the need for public education, strengthened surveillance, and improved species-level diagnostics.

Speaker: Mr Guash Abay Assefa (Department of Epidemiology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany; PhD Programme “Epidemiology” Braunschweig-Hannover, Germany)

10:15 AM Contact heterogeneity in network reconstruction: evaluating synthetic graph generators for rabies transmission modeling

Canine rabies remains endemic across much of Africa and Asia, causing approximately 59,000 human deaths annually. Network-based models can capture the heterogeneous contact patterns driving rabies transmission, but generating synthetic networks that faithfully reproduce empirical contact structures and downstream transmission dynamics is non-trivial. We compared five network generators (Erdős-Rényi model (ERM), stochastic block model (SBM), degree-corrected stochastic block model (DCSBM), spatially explicit network construction algorithm (SENCA), and Newman clustered random-graph generator (NCRG)) against an empirical free-roaming dog contact network from N'Djamena, Chad, as well as four additional dog-proximity datasets. We evaluated each generator’s reproduction of six topological summary measures and of outbreak dynamics under SEIR (Susceptible-Exposed-Infectious-Recovered) and SIS (Susceptible-Infectious-Susceptible) simulations. The DCSBM most consistently reproduced empirical topology across all networks. Under SEIR dynamics with a short infectious period, as in rabies, the DCSBM also most closely matched empirical case patterns, underscoring the joint importance of degree and community structure in shaping outbreak patterns. Under SIS dynamics with longer infectious periods, generator-specific differences in outbreak dynamics attenuated, suggesting that capturing network heterogeneity matters more for fast-burning pathogens like rabies than for slower-spreading ones.

Speaker: Dr Inez Derkx (Swiss TPH)

9:00 AM → 10:30 AM Session 6: Education, Implementation

Conveners: Amelie Lisa Arnecke, Isabelle Kramer

9:00 AM One Health Detectives: Gamification as a Strategy for Inclusive Zoonosis Education in Latin American Schools

Introduction: Giardiasis is a prevalent zoonosis in Latin America and a suitable model for teaching One Health. Integrating these concepts into primary education requires inclusive and active methodologies, particularly in vulnerable schools. Objective: To report a gamified educational intervention for giardiasis prevention and assess its feasibility and replication potential. Methodology: A 14-member interdisciplinary undergraduate team (Veterinary Medicine, Nursing, Environmental Sciences, and Education) conducted an intervention with 120 students aged 12–14 years, including students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Activities included storytelling (“One Health Detectives”), a recycled-material quiz, treasure hunt, and a giant human board game designed for peer replication. Feasibility was assessed using SWOT analysis. Results: Inclusive strategies supported ASD student participation through sensory and collaborative activities. The peer-to-peer model increased engagement among participants. SWOT analysis identified interdisciplinarity and proactivity as strengths, while time limitations and school bureaucracy were challenges. Expansion opportunities and quantitative evaluation were highlighted. Low-cost materials demonstrated high cost-effectiveness. Conclusion: Gamification combined with peer education is an inclusive, affordable, and replicable approach for promoting One Health in vulnerable Latin American settings.

Speaker: LUCIANA PIRES (Federal University of Parana (UFPR) and Centro Universitario Autonomo do Brasil -UniBrasil)

9:15 AM Interdisciplinary collaboration as individual and institutional learning: results from an interdisciplinary qualitative study

This report is based on a research project on interdisciplinary learning in the context of One Health. Interviews with researchers in human and veterinary medicine, ecology, biology and social sciences were conducted to better understand how interdisciplinary collaborations are initiated, structured, and maintained, and to what extent researchers perceive their interdisciplinary collaboration experiences as opportunities for professional development and learning. Main findings show that individual motivations and communication skills are key to successful collaboration in the context of insufficient institutional structures, processes, and regulations. On the one hand, the imbalance between individual-level and institutional-level enabling factors reifies disciplinary and gendered hierarchies in science. At the same time, interdisciplinary collaborations contributed significantly to learning about these inequalities in generating crucial One-Health-related knowledge, particularly relevant for wildlife surveillance and protection projects. The findings also provide insights for transdisciplinary collaborations.

Speaker: Susanne Ress (Technische Universität Berlin)

9:30 AM Developing One Health Competencies Through Interprofessional Co-Design: A Community Case Study of Veterinary Doctoral Students Collaborating with Pre-Service Science Teachers

Veterinary doctoral training equips researchers to produce specialized One Health knowledge, but rarely to communicate it to non-specialist audiences, collaborate across disciplines, or translate it into societal contexts—the capacities One Health requires. This community case study examines how five veterinary PhD students experienced a 13-week interprofessional course co-designing school teaching materials with pre-service science teachers, using a Two-Eyed Seeing-informed transfer framework. Qualitative content analysis of 114 segments from learning journals, a focus group, and videographic recordings combined deductive NEOH competency coding with inductive coding. Because scientific work is strongly shaped by English-dominated discourse, several participants found explaining their research in accessible native-language terms a substantive learning experience. Across all cases, seven situated communication practices developed, including conveying zoonotic risk without unnecessary alarm. Participants also described an epistemological shift, recognizing educational research as a legitimate knowledge system beyond "p-values and graphs." Notably, 32.5% of coded material fell outside the NEOH framework, including 20 unprompted implementation proposals, suggesting current models underspecify the strategic action competence such co-design activates. Interprofessional collaboration can help researchers move from producing One Health knowledge toward enabling its use in society.

Speaker: Dr Ulrich Hobusch (University College of Agricultural and Environmental Education)

9:45 AM One Health Educators, Practitioners, and Advocates: Engaging Veterinary Social Workers in Canadian Veterinary Care

As emerging interdisciplinary professionals, veterinary social workers (VSWs) integrate social work practice into veterinary medicine, addressing the interconnected health and well-being of humans, animals, and the environment. Although VSWs are gaining increasing attention worldwide, little empirical research has documented veterinary professionals’ awareness and familiarity with VSWs, their perceived practice impacts of engaging VSWs in clinical settings, and their anticipated barriers to hiring VSWs. Focusing on Canadian veterinary care, this study aims to investigate the veterinary practitioner’s necessities and challenges of engaging VSWs in clinical teams. An online survey with both quantitative and qualitative questions grounded in the One Health framework was completed by 110 veterinary professionals across Canada. While over 90% of participants are familiar with VSW’s contributions and over 80% are willing to hire VSWs, financial challenges and professional reorganization are the primary barriers to implementation. From the perspectives of veterinary professionals, survey results highlight the VSW’s contributions to occupational health, client grief-loss support, client–practitioner relations, and the prevention of animal abuse and family violence in clinic and public education settings. These contributions further illustrate the VSW’s roles as One Health educators, practitioners, and advocates for building healthy and resilient human-animal bonds.

Speaker: Dr Haorui Wu (School of Social Work, Faculty of Health, Dalhousie University)

10:00 AM An educational intervention to reduce mosquito breeding habitats: The PuMo pilot project

The number of locally transmitted infections caused by mosquito-borne diseases such as West Nile fever and dengue fever increase in Germany and Europe. Children are one of the vulnerable groups at risk from these diseases. The PuMo pilot project tests whether an educational campaign for children in schools reduces the number of mosquito breeding sites on school grounds. For this purpose, a face-to-face session with scientists is being planned, and a book containing materials is being developed, which pupils and their teachers can use independently to explore the topic in greater depth.
The educational campaign covers knowledge about insects, mosquitoes and their breeding habitats, as well as the One Health concept. The latter is used to illustrate to the children the dichotomy between the removal of small water bodies for the purpose of vector control and the provision of small water bodies as drinking water for other animals or for rainwater collection. Emphasis is placed on explaining to the children how mosquito breeding sites can be reduced and controlled whilst simultaneously providing drinking stations and water sources to animals such as other insects and birds.
The awareness campaign is accompanied by entomological surveys and the completion of socio-ecological questionnaires by the children to document the effectiveness of the intervention and the potential of the children to act as knowledge mediators within the school community and into their family environments.

Speaker: Friederike Reuss

10:15 AM Strengthening One Health Governance through Transparent and Systematic Evidence-Informed Policy-Making: Lessons from Croatia, Ghana and Nigeria

Global health threats, including pandemics, AMR, zoonotic diseases, and climate change, underscore the interdependence of human, animal, and environmental health. Although the One Health (OH) approach is increasingly recognized, translating evidence into effective policies remains complex. The OH‑EVI project aimed to strengthen knowledge translation capacities and support evidence‑informed policymaking across diverse national contexts.
Using the WHO EVIPNet four‑stage methodology, OH‑EVI worked in Croatia, Ghana, and Nigeria, where multisectoral stakeholders identified priority OH policy challenges through situational analyses. Systematic reviews informed Evidence Briefs for Policy (EBPs) outlining policy options and implementation considerations. Policy dialogues were then convened to contextualize the evidence, assess feasibility, and identify implementation priorities.
Main topics addressed in the EBPs were strengthening zoonoses surveillance (Croatia), integrating surveillance and preparedness systems (Ghana), and addressing AMR (Nigeria). Common barriers identified were fragmented governance, weak coordination, siloed data systems and workforce. The EBPs discuss context-adapted options for strengthening these areas, providing an evidence base to support the countries’ OH operationalization.
OH‑EVI demonstrates how structured evidence synthesis, stakeholder engagement, and policy dialogue can advance OH governance and support implementation of evidence‑informed solutions.

Speaker: Dr Francis Sena Nuvey (Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut)

10:30 AM → 11:10 AM Coffee & General poster viewing

10:30 AM → 11:40 AM Sideprogram: One Health Career Get-Together

Convener: Dana Thal

11:10 AM → 11:40 AM Poster Slam

11:45 AM → 12:15 PM Keynote III: Mayumi D. Wakimoto, Title:

12:15 PM → 1:00 PM Lunch

1:00 PM → 2:13 PM Session 7: Research consortia on the topic of “Pandemic prevention and response within a One Health framework”

Conveners: Magdalena Meyer, Stephan Ludwig

1:00 PM Introduction BMFTR

1:19 PM FLUPREP: A National Early-Warning System for Emerging Influenza Threats

Influenza A viruses (IAVs) frequently breach species barriers, posing a persistent pandemic threat. Mitigating this threat requires systems capable of detecting high-risk strains at the animal–human interface and implementing targeted countermeasures before human spillover occurs. Although international frameworks like TIPRA or IRAT routinely assess IAV risks, data gaps and lengthy consensus-building can hamper national preparedness. Hence, Germany needs its own rapid early warning system for emerging influenza threats.
To fill this gap, we established FLUPREP, a national One Health consortium funded by the BMFTR. Uniting six core partners—RKI, Charité Berlin, FLI, University of Münster, University Medical Center Freiburg, and LGL—FLUPREP seeks to proactively characterize IAVs emerging at the human–animal interface to generate comprehensive risk profiles that drive evidence-based pandemic preparedness. Central to FLUPREP is an integrated experimental pipeline that evaluates pandemic potential by quantifying key risk factors, such as human-type receptor specificity, airborne transmissibility, and resistance to diverse immune barriers. The measured data are then converted into a pandemic risk score calibrated against contemporary and historical IAVs. Graded risk score thresholds will act as actionable triggers, enabling local, state, and federal authorities to scale response measures from routine surveillance to emergency protocols, securing Germany's future pandemic resilience.

Speaker: M. Schwemmle (University Medical Center Freiburg – Institute of Virology)

1:37 PM The Respiratory Mucus Barrier in Zoonotic Influenza Transmission

The spread of a highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (H5N1) in wild birds and poultry has increased global concern regarding the potential for zoonotic and pandemic spread of emerging influenza A viruses (IAV). Before viruses can infect epithelial cells, they must overcome the respiratory mucus barrier. Mucus in the airways can trap particles and promote their removal via mucociliary clearance. Beyond this physical barrier function, mucins can interact with viral surface proteins, influencing virus mobility, attachment, and infectivity. To study how respiratory mucus influences IAVs, we have collected native respiratory mucus from relevant host species. We have developed standardized biophysical and biochemical methods to quantify the penetration of IAVs through species-specific mucus. This allows us to analyze the penetration behavior and subsequent infection potential of multiple IAV strains. The findings indicate that mucus exerts a differential effect on the penetration efficiency and infectivity of avian- and human-origin influenza strains. These observations suggest that respiratory mucus plays a multifaceted role. Our research revealed that virus-mucus interactions enhance the efficacy of virus infection by potentially protecting against viral degradation. Research into the interaction between respiratory viruses and native mucus samples is crucial to understand how the mucus barrier influences the emergence and transmission of influenza viruses.

Speaker: Mr Maximilian Rohde

1:55 PM *TrophicHealth: Effects of fertilization on AMR and zoonotic pathogen accumulation along the trophic chain – towards a One Health perspective in circular agriculture*

TrophicHealth investigates how circular agriculture may facilitate the transmission of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and zoonotic pathogens among livestock, environmental reservoirs, and agricultural systems, and how ecosystem resilience may interrupt these transmission cycles. Using a pan-microbiome framework combined with metagenomic analyses, we identify pathogens, AMR determinants, and antimicrobial peptide-producing microorganisms that may contribute to the stabilization of microbial communities and suppression of harmful microbes. We characterize microbial communities in the field across soil, wastewater, plants, and potential animal vectors, and experimentally assess the spread and mitigation of AMR and pathogens using controlled mesocosm systems. By elucidating the ecological mechanisms underlying microbial transmission and resilience in circular agriculture, TrophicHealth aims to improve surveillance of AMR and zoonotic pathogens in agricultural environments and food production systems, while identifying potential mitigation strategies. The project will contribute to a One Health approach by supporting evidence-based surveillance and risk assessment efforts by institutions such as the Robert Koch Institute and the Umweltbundesamt, and by providing knowledge to support veterinarians and farmers in the transition toward sustainable and safe livestock farming.

Speaker: Simone Sommer (Ulm University, Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, EcoHealth, Germany)

2:30 PM → 4:00 PM Session 8: Public Health II

Conveners: Dr Birgit Habedank, Torsten Semmler

2:30 PM Salmonella Bochum outbreak in children caused by chocolate hazelnut spread, Germany 2026

In February 2026, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) identified an outbreak in Germany caused by the rare Salmonella (S.) enterica subspecies enterica serovar Bochum. Descriptive epidemiology and exploratory patient interviews were performed. The RKI compared outbreak cases (n=12) and participants from the RKI panel “Health in Germany” aged 2–15 years (n=197) regarding consumption of chocolate hazelnut spreads in the 3 days before symptom onset or completing the questionnaire. Findings were shared with food safety authorities, prompting on-site inspections and food sample analyses. The outbreak involved 42 cases; predominantly children in eastern Germany. More males than females were affected (64 % vs. 36 %). The National Reference Center assigned all isolates with sequence data (n=27) to the same genomic cluster by cgMLST analysis. In exploratory patient interviews 12 of 14 cases (86 %) stated consumption of a specific brand of chocolate hazelnut spread. The case-control-study confirmed a strong association between consumption and being a case (odds ratio: 93 [95% confidence interval: 21-663]). Genome analysis proved the presence of the outbreak strain and other serovars in the product. In April 2026, the implicated product was recalled and the outbreak stopped. Trustful collaboration and rapid communication of findings between infection control and food safety authorities enabled fast identification of the infection vehicle and initiation of control measures.

Speaker: Anika Meinen (Robert Koch Institute, Department for Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Berlin, Germany)

2:45 PM Cross-species transmission of Strongyloides fuelleborni at the human–animal interface

Strongyloidiasis is a neglected tropical disease, yet the epidemiology of Strongyloides fuelleborni remains poorly understood despite its broad host range and evidence of zoonotic potential. We investigated parasite circulation among humans, domestic dogs, and non-human primates (NHPs) across African countries (Central African Republic, Guinea-Bissau, Uganda, and Rwanda). Samples were screened by qPCR, and positive samples were characterized using high-throughput sequencing. Strongyloides fuelleborni predominated in NHPs and was also frequently detected in humans and dogs. Identical parasite haplotypes were shared among sympatric hosts, providing evidence of parasite exchange at the human–animal interface. The high prevalence and genetic diversity of S. fuelleborni in dogs suggest they may act as important bridge hosts, while infections detected in breastfed puppies support vertical transmission. In contrast, mountain gorillas and dogs from Uganda and Rwanda showed low infection prevalence and no evidence of parasite sharing. Although S. stercoralis was absent from mountain gorillas, a fatal infection in a gorilla infant was associated exclusively with S. fuelleborni, highlighting its potential pathogenicity in endangered wildlife. Our findings demonstrate contrasting transmission patterns across African ecosystems and emphasize the importance of One Health surveillance to better understand parasite transmission at the wildlife–human–domestic animal interface.

Speaker: Barbora Pafco

3:00 PM Prevalence and associated factors of severe mpox in Mbarara City, southwestern Uganda, October 2024–May 2025

Background: In October 2024, Mbarara City, Uganda, experienced sustained mpox transmission, with Nyamityobora Ward being disproportionately affected. Data on factors associated with severe disease were limited. We determined the prevalence and factors associated with severe mpox in Nyamityobora Ward during October 2024–May 2025.
Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study using active case finding among suspected mpox cases in Nyamityobora Ward from April to May 2025. Disease severity was assessed using an adapted Mpox Severity Scoring System (MPSSS) and dichotomized as severe versus non-severe. Modified Poisson regression was used to identify associated factors.
Results: Of 106 mpox cases identified, 62 (59%) had severe disease. The median age was 29 years and 55% were female. HIV co-infection (adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR] 1.8, 95% CI 1.2–2.7), delayed care-seeking >5 days (aPR 1.5, 95% CI 1.1–2.1) and sex work (aPR 1.4, 95% CI 1.0-2.0; p= 0.045) were independently associated with severe mpox.
Conclusion: Severe mpox was common and strongly associated with HIV co-infection, delayed care-seeking and sex work. Integrating mpox screening into HIV services and promoting early care-seeking and implementing targeted interventions for sex workers may reduce severe outcomes during outbreaks.

Speaker: Justine Wobusobozi (Field epidemiologist)

3:15 PM RBM-targeted amplicon sequencing coupled with the WasteCov pipeline for rapid surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 lineage groups in municipal wastewater

Wastewater-based epidemiology is a tool for population-level surveillance when clinical testing capacity is limited. We developed a rapid amplicon sequencing workflow targeting the spike RBM, together with WasteCov, our custom bioinformatic pipeline for SARS-CoV-2 lineage surveillance in wastewater. This method combines one-step RT-PCR amplification with targeted sequencing. Candidate assignments are constrained using contemporaneous epidemiological priors derived from clinical reports of globally circulating variants. WasteCov performs mapping, variant calling and lineage estimation using an updated UShER matrix operating through two modes: a Freyja-adapted mutation-centric approach and “sign_mol”, a haplotype-aware mode that detects RBM molecular signatures, estimates their frequencies and assigns them to lineage groups. We applied the framework to 76 weekly composite wastewater samples from Thessaloniki, Greece, covering the Delta-to-Omicron transition (W47-2021 to W18-2022) and subsequent Omicron diversification (W48-2022 to W48-2023). Our approach captured major replacements, including the BA.1-to-BA.2 shift, the transition from BA.5/BA.2.75 to XBB descendants, and the rise of BA.2.86, while remaining informative at low prevalence. Wastewater-derived profiles were concordant with 28803 genomes from clinical surveillance and, in some cases, detected variant emergence earlier. This approach supports timely, cost-efficient variant surveillance, extendable to other viruses.

Speaker: Mr Achilleas P. Galanopoulos (Laboratory of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly, 41222, Larisa, Greece)

3:30 PM Transcriptomic Profiling of Intestinal Organoids Infected with Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis

Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) causes Johne's disease in ruminants and is a discussed zoonotic contributor to Crohn's disease, making it a key One Health target. However, epithelial responses to MAP remain poorly understood. We used human ileal organoids to characterize the epithelial transcriptomic response to MAP infection. Organoids were microinjected with MAP or PBS, treated with forskolin, or left untreated, and analyzed by RNA sequencing over 48 hours.
Culture-associated transcriptional drift was the dominant driver of gene expression, with patterns suggesting a progressive loss of metabolic and digestive programs and increased chromatin remodeling activity, likely masking pathogen-specific responses. Although forskolin facilitated microinjection, it transiently activated inflammatory and stress pathways, limiting its suitability as a neutral experimental aid. While MAP infection did not induce significant single-gene expression changes, pathway analyses suggested preservation of enterocyte-associated metabolic programs, indicating that MAP partially counteracts culture-induced drift. This may promote intracellular persistence and contribute to mucosal pathology in both Johne's disease and Crohn's disease.
These findings identify temporal drift and experimental perturbations as major confounders in organoid infection models and provide a framework for improving studies of enteric pathogens at the human–animal interface.

Speaker: Paula Emily Schweizer (Institute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany)

3:45 PM Successes & Outlook of the Integrated Genomic Surveillance: importance of computational infrastructure for pandemic preparedness in Germany

The Integrated Genomic Surveillance (IGS) enables monitoring of 30 prioritized pathogen groups with increased public health importance. Genomic information from notifiable cases detected throughout Germany are collected at the Robert Koch Institute (RKI). Here, sequences are integrated with case data of the German reporting system to provide a comprehensive overview on the national emergence, spread, outbreaks and evolution of pathogens, enabling the foundation for infectious disease monitoring and prevention.

Our results highlight multiple major successes of the IGS project, including establishing a centralized infrastructure for storing, analyzing and maintaining surveillance data. As part of this, the IGS Datawarehouse (IGS DWH) represents the basis for combined investigations of genomic and epidemiological data. Interacting with this are bioinformatic analyses, dashboards, interactive visualizations and automated reports. To provide these, we have developed specialized computational workflows (IGS Bioinformatics Toolkit & Omnifluss) for high-throughput genomic analyses of multi-pathogen data sets.

To date, the IGS has been used to analyze more than 1.2 million pathogen samples, including a majority of SARS-CoV-2 sequences, supporting infectious disease monitoring on a national scope. We hereby highlight the importance of establishing scalable, robust and maintainable infrastructure such as the IGS for pandemic preparedness and intersectoral One Health projects.

Speaker: Dr Silver A. Wolf (Genome Competence Centre (MF1), Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany)

2:30 PM → 4:00 PM Session 9: Biodiversity, Landuse & Food Systems

2:30 PM Inactivation of pathogens in contaminated cattle manure by Lactic Acid Fermentation and in biogas plants

In case of a notifiable animal disease like paratuberculosis or salmonellosis, the manure is contaminated and a cause for spread of infections. Before it can be safely used as fertilizer it must be disinfected. This can be performed using heat measures, chemical disinfectants or long-term storage. All these measures entail economic, ecological and logistical problems. The aim of project was to evaluate lactic acid fermentation (LAF) on laboratory scale as an alternative disinfection method.
For this, cattle manure was spiked with different kinds of pathogens like Salmonella Typhimurium, Mycobacterium avium ssp. paratuberculosis (MAP) or Food-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV). Fermentation was initiated by adding different carbohydrate sources (CHO) to the manure and creating anaerobic conditions. The samples were incubated at 21 °C. The microbial shift was determined using culturing methods or titration.
All tested pathogens were inactivated by LAF dependent on the CHO-source within a few weeks. The combination of sucrose and oats revealed the best results in all cases. Altogether, LAF is a valuable option for disinfecting cattle manure.
Another issue is the retention time of pathogens in biogas plants. To investigate this, the contents of fermenters are spiked on lab scale with pathogens and their retention time is monitored. Results are still pending.

Speaker: Dr Hannah Halm (FLI Riems)

2:45 PM Operationalising One Health in regional food systems

Food systems are central interfaces of human, animal and environmental health. They shape nutrition, food security, animal welfare, biodiversity, climate impacts and supply-chain resilience. Yet operationalising One Health in regional food systems remains difficult, as indicators, cross-stage relations and data gaps are often unclear. This work develops a conceptual, data-oriented, and relational modelling framework for applying One Health to the food system of Lower Saxony, Germany, using pesticide use as a case. It maps value chains from production to consumption and waste, and links actors, products, flows, infrastructures, governance and health- and sustainability-related outcomes. Domains include consumer and occupational health, animal health and welfare, nutrient flows, water quality, land use, biodiversity, greenhouse gas emissions and resilience. The methodology combines value-chain and indicator mapping, data assessment and ontology-based modelling. Statistical, administrative, spatial and qualitative data are assessed with respect to availability, resolution, accessibility, interoperability and modelling relevance. Entities and relationships are represented using an ontology-based model and formalised via a graph-based structure capturing complex network relationships. The framework translates One Health into a regional food-system model and supports scenario analyses, vulnerability assessments, policy information and decision support for sustainable food systems.

Speaker: Mrs Hannah Schöneberg (University of Göttingen)

3:00 PM Impact of oil palm plantation use on the gut microbiome of Malaysian macaques

Some wildlife species in SE Asia have partly adapted to human-modified agricultural landscapes, including southern pig-tailed macaques (Macaca nemestrina) which regularly forage in oil palm plantations. Our previous research suggests that their plantation use is associated with adverse health effects, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Because the gastrointestinal tract is a key interface between environment and host health, this project investigates how pesticide exposure through plantation foraging alters the gut microbiome of wild pig-tailed macaques. We hypothesize that microbiome composition and function is associated with plantation use and changes with pesticide treatments. To do so, we collected 287 faecal samples of 30 individuals from two groups over 12 months in Segari Melintang Forest Reserve, Peninsular Malaysia, including targeted sampling before and after two pesticide treatment events. Microbiome composition and function will be analysed using 16S rRNA gene and shotgun metagenomic sequencing. By investigating how agricultural practices shape the microbiome of a wildlife species living at the human–environment interface, this study adopts a One Health perspective, highlighting the gut microbiome as a potentially sensitive indicator of contamination and providing insights that can inform both wildlife conservation and more sustainable agricultural management.

Speaker: Miriam Simon

3:15 PM Trends and Geographical Distribution of Snakebite Cases in Uganda, 2020–2024: An Analysis of National Surveillance Data

Snakebites are a neglected public health challenge in Uganda. Adverse outcomes of snakebites include paralysis, disfigurement, limb amputation and death. Uganda’s Neglected Tropical Diseases Master Plan, 2023-2027, aligns with WHO’s target to reduce snakebite mortality and disability by 50% by 2030. We described trends and distribution of snakebite cases in Uganda from 2020–2024 to inform snakebite prevention and control strategies.
We analysed snakebite cases reported through DHIS2 from January 2020–December 2024defining cases as snakebite injuries with puncture wounds regardless of envenomation status. Annual incidence per million population was calculated by age, sex, year, and district using UBOS projections. Trends were assessed using Mann-Kendall and rainfall-incidence associations using Spearman correlation.
A total of 50,011 cases were reported (mean incidence 250/million). Adults ≥20 years had the highest incidence (320/million), and females had slightly higher incidence than males (250 vs 240/million, p<0.001). Annual incidence ranged 210–260/million with no significant trend (p=0.22). West Nile and Acholi regions consistently exceeded 1,000/million. Rainfall showed a weak negative correlation with incidence, significant only in 2022 (ρ=−0.22, p=0.008).
Snakebites disproportionately affect adults and females, with the highest burden in Northern Uganda. Strengthening community awareness and antivenom access could reduce morbidity and guide resource allocation.

Speaker: Ms Martha Dorcas Nalweyiso (Uganda National Institute of Public Health)

3:30 PM Landscape Change Shapes Bat Communities and Viral Dynamics in the Colombian Amazon

Habitat degradation is a key driver of zoonotic disease emergence. In Colombia, deforestation along the Amazonian agricultural frontier is transforming ecosystems and potentially increasing pathogen spillover risk. Bats are important reservoirs of viruses with zoonotic potential, while also providing key ecosystem services. Within the Volkswagen Foundation-funded SIMPEL project, which investigates pathogen dynamics across land-use change gradients (objective 4), we sampled a subset of 431 bats across a deforestation gradient in Guaviare, Colombia, using ecological, molecular, and metagenomic approaches to evaluate the effects of environmental disturbance on diversity, viral prevalence, and virome composition. Preliminary results showed that habitat disturbance was associated with reduced bat richness, abundance, and occurrence probability. Hantavirus prevalence tended to be higher in recently deforested areas, whereas orthobunyavirus prevalence was highest in conserved forests, with no significant habitat-related difference. Metagenomic analyses revealed a diverse virome, including herpesviruses, papillomaviruses, adenoviruses, polyomaviruses, and coronaviruses, and ongoing analyses are evaluating virome patterns across gradients of habitat degradation. These findings suggest that land-use change influences both bat communities and viral circulation at the human-wildlife interface.

Speaker: Gabriela Aliaga-Samanez (Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany)

4:00 PM → 4:40 PM Coffee & Poster Viewing II

4:40 PM → 5:10 PM Keynote V: Wanda Markotter, Title: The importance of One Health in Pandemic Prevention

Convener: Sascha Knauf

5:15 PM → 6:45 PM Members Assembly & Election SAB

7:15 PM → 9:30 PM Conference Dinner

9:30 PM → 11:00 PM Party (aka "Music, Table Tennis & Drinks")

Wed, October 7

8:30 AM → 9:00 AM Registration / Daily Check-in

9:00 AM → 9:30 AM Keynote V: Carlos N. Ibarra-Cerdena, Title: Two Scales, One Health: Lessons from Sea Turtles and Bats on Human Impacts on Wildlife Health

Convener: Fabian Leendertz

9:45 AM → 10:45 AM Session 10: AMR I

9:45 AM Biofouling in membrane bioreactors decreases the retention of free plasmid DNA carrying antibiotic resistance genes

Membrane bioreactors (MBRs) effectively remove bacteria during wastewater treatment. Less is known about removal of extracellular DNA, including ARG-carrying plasmids, which are far smaller. If released into the environment, such plasmids can persist for months and be taken up by bacteria via transformation. During MBR operation, biofilm forms on membranes and may act as an additional barrier to free DNA. We hypothesized that thicker biofouling layers increase free-DNA retention.
To test this, we quantified retention of three ARG-carrying plasmids of different sizes using model MBRs at different biofouling stages. Biofilm thickness was continuously monitored by optical coherence tomography. At defined growth stages, free plasmid DNA was spiked into the feed and retention quantified by ddPCR.
Without biofouling, retention ranged from 95.4% to 99.9%, depending on the plasmid. Contrary to our hypothesis, plasmid passage increased up to 6.3-fold in MBRs with early biofilm formation. Retention declined further at later stages.
These findings suggest biofilm growth promotes preferential flow paths that facilitate plasmid migration through the membrane barrier by increasing local flux and reducing contact time. EPS may further reduce adsorption or electrostatic repulsion by occupying binding sites. Plasmid degradation and uptake did not play a significant role. This highlights that MBR anti-biofouling strategies, while increasing performance, also aid in retaining free AMR-plasmids.

Speaker: Robin Starke (TU Dresden, Institute of Hydrobiology)

10:00 AM Similar Wastewater Microbiomes, Distinct Resistomes: A Comparative Metagenomic Analysis of German and Nigerian Wastewaters from Diverse Sources

Environmental contamination links antimicrobial resistance (AMR) across human, animal, and environmental compartments, but how wastewater source and infrastructure shape resistomes remains unclear. We used metagenomics to compare communities and resistomes in municipal wastewater in Germany and municipal, hospital, and slaughterhouse wastewaters in Nigeria. Bacterial communities showed limited separation (ANOSIM R=0.059, p=0.278), indicating a shared wastewater microbiome baseline. In contrast, resistomes differed significantly (PERMANOVA p=0.023), showing that ARG profiles diverged more strongly than underlying communities. German samples showed a homogenized, diverse resistome (H′=2.15–2.25), dominated by aminoglycoside, bacitracin, beta-lactam, and MLS genes. Nigerian samples showed greater heterogeneity and hotspots exceeding 2.0 log10 relative abundance, driven by sulfonamide and tetracycline genes. Despite this divergence, 634 ARG subtypes (53.9%) formed a shared resistome core, while 375 variants were detected only in Nigerian samples. Co-occurrence networks linked erm(B) and OXA-10 with opportunistic pathogen-containing genera such as Acinetobacter, Klebsiella, and Pseudomonas. These findings show that similar wastewater microbiomes can harbour distinct resistomes and identify wastewater source and infrastructure as determinants of environmental AMR distribution. Hotspots highlight the need for One Health surveillance that accounts for source-specific waste streams.

Speaker: Chijioke Nsofor (1. School of Biological Science, Federal University of Technology Owerri Nigeria. 2. Institute of Hydrobiology, Technische Universität Dresden, Germany)

10:15 AM Harmonized One Health surveillance of antimicrobial resistance and heavy metal tolerance in Baltic Sea surface waters and wild birds

Abstract. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and heavy metal tolerance in aquatic and wildlife-associated bacteria are interconnected One Health challenges, yet harmonized cross-border data remain scarce.
BALTIC-AMR addresses this gap through standardized longitudinal surveillance across Germany, Sweden, Estonia, and Poland, integrating surface-water and wild-bird sampling with culture-based isolation, phenotyping, genomics, and residue analysis. From 04/24–09/25, 1,346 isolates were recovered from water and wild birds, mainly comprising priority Enterobacterales and selected Pseudomonadales. Putative ESBL and arsenic tolerant phenotypes predominated, while carbapenem resistance was more frequent among water-derived isolates; zinc tolerance occurred rarely.
The same sampling framework also captured water-borne Vibrio spp. During the 2024 Vibrio season (06/24–10/24), 330 isolates were collected and sequenced to resolve phylogenetic diversity and screen for resistance and virulence determinants. Preliminary screening identified genes assigned to tetracycline and beta-lactam resistance classes, alongside efflux and lipid A modification markers. In parallel, residue analysis detected fluoroquinolone and tetracycline concentrations exceeding PNEC levels year-round in WWTP effluents.
Together, these data confirm environmental AMR occurrence and support phylogeny-aware One Health risk assessment in the Baltic Sea region.

Speaker: Max Sittner

10:30 AM Dual-Species Interactions with Intestinal Bacteria Drive Multi-Drug Resistance in Campylobacter

Campylobacter is a major foodborne pathogen. We investigated multidrug resistance (MDR) in clinical isolates from Germany (2010–2022) within the national surveillance program. A total of 6,950 single-colony isolates were phenotypically tested; 2,912 were genome sequenced and screened for antimicrobial resistance genes. MDR cultures were further analyzed for contaminating DNA and by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). We identified 451 (6.5%) isolates resistant to fluoroquinolones and macrolides; two C. jejuni isolates exhibited resistance to up to ten antibiotic classes. Unexpectedly, genome analysis revealed >10% Enterococcus DNA in these single-colony-derived samples. SEM confirmed coccoid bacteria interspersed with spiral Campylobacter. Subsequent purification separated fluoroquinolone-resistant but not macrolide-resistant Campylobacter from multidrug-resistant Enterococcus. Mixed-culture experiments demonstrated protection of Campylobacter against ribosome-targeting antimicrobials in the presence of Enterococcus. These findings indicate that apparent MDR in Campylobacter can arise from interspecies interactions rather than intrinsic resistance, highlighting the importance of a One Health perspective integrating microbial ecology into antimicrobial resistance surveillance.

Speaker: Dr Sangeeta Banerji (Robert Koch Institut, FG11)

9:45 AM → 10:45 AM Session 11: Vaccines & Immunology

Convener: Corinna Pietsch

9:45 AM Advancements in Chikungunya Virus Vaccines: Emerging Innovations and Future Directions

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is re-emerging as a One Health threat at the human-vector-climate interface. WHO and ECDC data show major resurgence in 2025-2026, with large outbreaks in the Indian Ocean and the Americas and substantial autochthonous transmission in Europe, including 788 confirmed locally acquired cases in France and 384 in Italy in 2025. European evidence, indicates that once Aedes albopictus is established, transmission risk is shaped by vector distribution, seasonal abundance and mobility rather than temperature alone. Vaccine prevention has advanced rapidly. IXCHIQ, a single-dose live-attenuated vaccine, induces near-complete seroresponse, with neutralizing antibodies persisting in 95% of vaccinees 4 years after one dose; however, post-marketing safety signals, including serious neurologic adverse events and aseptic meningitis, have sharpened benefit-risk assessment, especially in older adults and people with chronic disease. VIMKUNYA, a single-dose recombinant virus-like-particle vaccine, achieved seroresponse in 98% of 12-64-year-olds and 87% of adults aged ≥65 years by day 22, with persistence for at least 6 months, offering a non-live alternative for adolescents and adults. Together, these data support risk-adapted vaccination embedded in integrated surveillance, vector control and climate-sensitive preparedness for travellers, outbreak-prone regions and newly exposed European settings

Speaker: Jonas Schmidt-Chanasit

10:00 AM Zoonotic MPXV Clades Outpace Human-adapted Strain in Driving Disease and Shedding in a Nasal Respiratory-Infection Macaque model

MPXV comparative biology after mucosal exposure remains unclear. We compared clades Ia (Zaire and Republic of Congo isolates), IIa, and IIb in a cynomolgus macaque respiratory infection model to assess disease, viral shedding, and immune responses. Mucosal infection caused milder, more localized disease than high-dose aerosol or intravenous models. Clade Ia (Zaire) and IIa produced stronger clinical symptoms and systemic immune activation, while clade IIb resulted in minimal illness and limited spread. Viral genomes persisted in skin lesions at later stages without evidence of active replication, suggesting tissue damage rather than long-term reservoirs. Presymptomatic shedding occurred across all clades, indicating potential transmission before lesion onset. However, clade IIb showed reduced shedding, with little to no oral or rectal virus detection. Clade IIb triggered the strongest dendritic cell activation, whereas clade Ia (Zaire) induced proliferating but functionally impaired antigen-presenting cells and weaker T-cell priming. Natural killer cell responses followed a similar pattern, with clade Ia (Zaire) showing weaker activation compared to other clades. A biomarker panel based on monocyte/eosinophil dynamics and cytokine ratios effectively distinguished clade IIb infections. These findings underscore the importance of clade-specific analysis for outbreak preparedness and One Health surveillance. Funding: intramural NIAID/NIH and INF of the Helmholtz Association.

Speaker: Prof. Julia R. Port (Laboratory of Transmission Immunology, Helmholtz Center for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany)

10:15 AM Impacts of Respiratory Mucus on Influenza Virus Stability, Transmission, and Immune Interactions

The remarkable zoonotic competence of Influenza A virus (IAV) warrants dedicated One Health vigilance. As the cause of four disruptive pandemics in the last century, pervasiveness into previously unaffected regions, and elevated incidence of human and animal infections, IAV continues to circulate across multiple host species. Most of the research on IAV entry has investigated interactions between viral proteins and cellular receptors. Still, the role of respiratory mucus in IAV transmission remains underexplored. As part of the Respiratory Mucus as a One Health Interface (ONEMUC) project, this study investigates the environmental stability of avian, human, and swine IAV strains in respiratory mucus under varying temperature, relative humidity, carbon dioxide concentration, and light spectrum conditions. Viral infectivity will be determined over time using TCID₅₀ assays and analyzed via exponential decay kinetics, revealing how mucus composition and environmental variables interact to modulate IAV persistence and zoonotic spillover risk. By systematically evaluating virus–mucus interactions across environmentally relevant conditions, this work aims to determine how respiratory mucus influences IAV persistence and transmission potential. These findings will provide a foundation for developing standardized assays to evaluate the environmental stability and potential zoonotic risk of emerging influenza viruses and viral variants under changing climatic conditions.

Speaker: Ms Jailene Castillo

10:30 AM Differential innate immune activation following Puumala virus infection of human or reservoir host cells

Hantaviruses maintain persistent and asymptomatic infections in their mammalian reservoir hosts but can cause severe disease when transmitted to humans. In Europe, Puumala virus (PUUV) is the most important cause of human hantavirus infections. To investigate if hantavirus disease in humans is driven by an overreactive immune response, we aimed to compare PUUV replication and innate immune responses in human cells and cells of its natural host, the bank vole (Myodes glareolus).
Bank vole MGN-2-R cells and human A549 cells were initially shown to mount a comparable immune response after stimulation with double-stranded (ds)RNA. Following PUUV infection, the expression of interferon-induced MX1 and the viral nucleocapsid protein were quantified to monitor the dynamics of the innate immune response and viral replication. While PUUV replication was relatively strong in MGN-2-R cells, the immune response remained remarkably weak, despite a high viral load. In contrast, we observed a lower rate of PUUV replication and a much stronger induction of innate immunity in the human A549 cells. These profound differences were neither caused by lower amounts of viral dsRNA in MGN-2-R cells nor by PUUV-induced inhibition of the type I interferon signaling pathway.
These observed differences between PUUV infections in human and reservoir host cells could provide a possible explanation for the mostly asymptomatic course of the disease in the reservoir host and the pathogenicity in humans.

Speakers: Ms Marie Demuth (Centre for Biological Threats and Special Pathogens (ZBS), Robert Koch-Institute, Berlin, Germany), Dr Daniel Bourquain (Centre for Biological Threats and Special Pathogens (ZBS), Robert Koch-Institute, Berlin, Germany)

10:45 AM → 11:30 AM Coffee & General poster viewing

11:30 AM → 1:00 PM Session 12: AMR II

Conveners: Tina Kabelitz, Ulrike Löber

11:30 AM Predicting environmental susceptibility to antimicrobial-resistant bacterial invasion using biodiversity and phylogenetic structure

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) can spread through freshwater systems when resistant bacteria enter river biofilms, yet predicting which communities resist such introductions remains difficult. Biotic resistance theory predicts lower invasion success in more diverse communities, but whether this applies to natural biofilms under change is unclear.

We collected epilithic biofilms from 30 river sites across seven European countries and transferred them into standardized flumes. A model antibiotic-resistant E. coli was introduced, and its persistence quantified over 14 days. Diversity was characterized at collection, after acclimation, and maturation.

Using leave-one-out cross-validated models, we tested whether resistance could be predicted from diversity, phylogenetic structure, and diversity change during ecosystem transfer. In established flume biofilms, resistance was best explained by Shannon diversity and mean phylogenetic distance to the invader, supporting niche saturation and phylogenetic limiting similarity. During river-to-flume transfer, resistance depended on initial diversity and proportional diversity loss, indicating that community stability shapes invasion outcomes.

These findings show that freshwater biofilm invasion is structured by measurable community properties. Biodiversity and phylogenetic structure may help identify systems vulnerable to resistant bacterial colonization, supporting One Health surveillance and environmental AMR risk assessment.

Speaker: Uli Klümper (TU Dresden)

11:45 AM One Health Surveillance of Antimicrobial Resistance in Integrated Constructed Wetlands

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major One Health challenge linking human, animal and environmental health. Wastewater systems are recognised as reservoirs of antimicrobial-resistant organisms (AROs), facilitating their dissemination into natural ecosystems. Integrated Constructed Wetlands (ICWs) are nature-based wastewater treatment systems that combine water treatment with biodiversity enhancement; however, their role in mitigating environmental AMR remains poorly understood.This study investigates the occurrence and reduction of AROs within seven ICWs in Ireland treating municipal, agricultural, industrial and companion animal wastewaters. A two-year monitoring programme involved monthly sampling of influent and effluent waters. Target organisms included ESBL-producing, carbapenemase-resistant and fluoroquinolone-resistant Enterobacterales, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii. Isolates were identified by MALDI-TOF, characterised by antimicrobial susceptibility testing, and a subset of Escherichia coli isolates underwent whole-genome sequencing.To date, over 660 target organisms representing 20 bacterial species have been identified, with E. coli predominating across all sectors. Preliminary findings indicate reduced ARO numbers in effluent compared with influent samples. Multiple multidrug-resistant phenotypes were detected, and AMR profiles differed between wastewater sectors.The findings support ICWs as One Health tools for mitigating environmental AMR.

Speaker: Ms Gaia Streparola (Teagasc Food Research Centre, Food Safety Department, Ashtown, Dublin, Ireland. School of Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland)

12:00 PM Comparison of antimicrobial resistance in conventional and organic pig production in Germany

We compared antimicrobial resistance in E. coli and the prevalence of cephalosporin resistant E. coli in organic and conventional fattening pigs and their derived meat in Germany. Boot sock samples were collected from 368 conventional and 131 organic pig farms. At retail, 430 and 306 samples from fresh conventional and organic pork, respectively, were collected. E. coli were isolated using routine methods and a predefined selective procedure targeting E. coli resistant to 3rd generation cephalosporins. Minimum inhibitory concentrations of 15 antimicrobials for E. coli were tested using broth microdilution, and resistance genes of selectively isolated E. coli were identified using whole genome sequencing.
The proportion of completely susceptible E. coli was higher among isolates from organic farms (77.8 %) than from conventional farms (49.8 %, p<0.05). Likewise, the prevalence of cephalosporin-resistant E. coli was lower in samples from organic farms (13.0 % vs. 36.7 %). Significantly lower resistance rates were observed to ampicillin, tetracycline, trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole among isolates from organic farms. Significant differences were neither found in resistance rates nor in the prevalence of cephalosporin-resistant E. coli in pork. These differences likely arise during the final phase of the fattening period or from the subsequent production steps (i.e. slaughter and processing). Further research is needed to elucidate the underlying reasons.

Speaker: Bernd-Alois Tenhagen (Bundesinstitut für Risikobewertung)

12:15 PM Prevalence of antimicrobial resistance bacteria in dust from piglet farms.

Dust can contain microorganisms that are both pathogenic and resistant to antimicrobials (AMR), which can potentially transmit airborne human pathogenic bacteria. Agriculture is one of the largest producers of primary particle matter, accounting for approximately 20% of global fine dust emissions. While it is known that the use of antibiotics in agriculture often results in antibiotic-resistant bacteria, the extent to which environmental factors can alter the bacterial composition of AMR containing bioaerosols, and the associated risks to humans and the environment, remain open research questions. In this study aerosols from and inside animal barns were investigated and both the size and density of fine dust particles in pig barns was measured. During summer a higher abundance of fine particles was seen, compared to winter. The prevalence of pathogenic microorganisms on those airborne particles was visualized and showed mature biofilm. Those biofilms consisted of more than 500 species and both gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria were found on dust, independent of the seasonality. Interestingly there was a strong correlation between AMR gene abundance and ESKAPE bacteria in air during winter compared to summer.
This study provides a strong insight into the composition of dust associated bacteria and shows the potential risk for humans and the environment.

Speaker: Elisabeth Pfrommer (RKI)

12:30 PM Syntheses of KAP surveys on AMU and AMR in livestock across Ethiopia: implications for one health and informed decision

Introduction: Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices (KAP) of livestock farmers and animal healthcare providers (AHCPs) regarding antimicrobial use (AMU) and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are critical for advancing One Health and monitoring interventions.
Methods: We synthesized cross-sectional KAP surveys, 2020–2024 livestock owners and AHCPs using structured questionnaires on AMU and AMR.
Results and Discussion: Analysis of 15 surveys revealed widespread misuse driven by limited awareness (50%–94%) and neither to substandard and falsified pharmaceuticals, and weak regulation. The frequently used antimicrobials (AMs) were tetracyclines, aminoglycosides, penicillin, trypanocides and anthelmintics. Farmers commonly use AMs over the counter (44%–60%), prophylactically, sharing not uncommon, used leftovers, or incomplete courses, and limited knowledge of withdrawal times which may lead residues in food. AHCPs showed better knowledge but >56% reported inadequate practices. Both groups relied unnecessarily on AMs fuelling AMR, varying by species; reduced effectiveness and increased mortality, food safety risks, and zoonotic transmission. These call for improved access to quality veterinary AMs and regulation on their management, rapid diagnostics, enhanced surveillance, prudent use, continuing education for AHCPs, and application of generic or evidence-based interventions such as good husbandry, biosecurity, and disease prevention practices to mitigate AMR threats.

Speaker: Mr Tenaw Andualem Tadege (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations)

12:45 PM Molecular Surveillance of Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamase- and Carbapenemase-Producing Escherichia coli from one health interface in Ado-Ekiti, Southwestern Nigeria

Carbapenem-resistant and ESBL-producing Escherichia coli at the human-animal-environment interface represent an escalating One Health threat. This study characterised ESBL- and carbapenemase-producing E. coli from five One Health source compartments in Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria. Five hundred samples (n=100 per group) were processed; MALDI-TOF MS confirmed identifications; EUCAST 2021 susceptibility testing was performed; ESBL production was confirmed by DDST and Brilliance ESBL/CRE agar; PCR targeted five ESBL and five carbapenemase genes. Ten isolates (five MDR/CRE, five non-MDR controls) underwent Illumina WGS with SPAdes assembly, ECTyper serotyping, PubMLST MLST, AMRFinderPlus, and ABRicate/VFDB profiling. Of 69 confirmed livestock E. coli, 32 (46.4%) were ESBL producers; blaCTX-M predominated (75.0%). Carbapenemase genes were detected exclusively in cattle: OXA-48 (27.5%), VIM (12.5%), and IMP (7.5%). WGS revealed four sequence types — ST10 shared between cattle and pig non-MDR controls, ST196 in cattle MDR, ST226 in environment MDR, and ST348 in an environment control harbouring five AMR genes despite a non-MDR phenotype. The clinical isolate carried the highest AMR burden (18 genes including blaCTX-M-15 and blaOXA-1). These findings provide the first One Health genomic AMR dataset from Southwestern Nigeria, demonstrating that phenotypic surveillance underestimates true resistance burden and highlighting the urgency of WGS-based AMR surveillance.

Speaker: Fiyinfoluwa Ojeniyi (APIN PUBLIC HEALTH INITIATIVES)

11:30 AM → 1:00 PM Session 13: Vectors II

Conveners: Gerhard Dobler, Jonas Schmidt-Chanasit

11:30 AM Not all West Nile virus lineages behave alike: dose-response differences between lineages 1 and 2

The globally distributed arbovirus West Nile virus (WNV) is expanding across Europe, with rising numbers of human cases and an increasingly broad geographic distribution. Transmitted primarily by Culex mosquitoes, WNV lineages 1 and 2 are pathogenic to humans, yet their differences in transmission dynamics remain unclear. As vertebrate hosts develop varying viremia, mosquitoes encounter a wide range of viral doses, which may influence transmission. Here, we investigated the dose-response differences between the lineages in Cx. pipiens biotype pipiens, Cx. torrentium, and Aedes albopictus. Mosquitoes were fed increasing titers of one strain of either WNV lineage, and infection and transmission were assessed after 14 days at 24°C. Lineage 2 required lower infectious doses while causing higher transmission. Notably, Cx. torrentium was identified as a highly competent vector for lineage 2. These findings highlight important differences between WNV lineages, improve our understanding of dose-dependent transmission, and therefore support refined risk assessments in Europe.

Speaker: Stephanie Jansen (Bernhard-Nocht-Institut für Tropenmedizin; Universität Hamburg)

11:45 AM Does viral persistence shape virus–virus interactions in mosquitoes?

Mosquitoes host a wide diversity of insect-specific viruses alongside medically important arboviruses. While insect-specific viruses have been proposed as potential modulators of arbovirus transmission, the mechanisms underlying these interactions remain poorly understood, particularly in the context of persistent infections (long-term infection without clearance) that characterise most mosquito–virus associations.
Here, we investigated interactions between insect-specific alphaviruses and arboviruses in mosquito cell lines. Insect-specific alphaviruses reduced the replication of related arboviruses, especially when they were persistently infecting cells. No strong interference was detected in sequential or simultaneous co-infection settings. To explore potential underlying mechanisms, we compared acute and persistent insect-specific virus infections. Differences were observed at multiple levels, including changes in host transcriptomic profiles and microRNA expression. In addition, small RNA sequencing revealed antiviral RNAi responses targeting ISVs, with differences between acute and persistent conditions.
Overall, our results indicate differences in host responses associated with persistent insect-specific virus infections, which may influence subsequent arbovirus infections. Further work will be needed to determine how these responses contribute to interference phenotypes and whether they can be leveraged to better understand or modulate arbovirus transmission.

Speaker: Dr Mine Altinli (Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute)

12:00 PM Virus detection in Culicoides biting midges during the BTV-3 outbreak in north-west Germany 2024

Bluetongue virus (BTV), Schmallenberg virus (SBV) and epizootic haemorrhagic disease virus (EHDV) are arthropod-borne viruses transmitted by biting midges and primarily affect domestic and wild ruminants. In Central Europe, the importance of biting midges as vectors increased after the emergence of BTV-8 in 2006 and SBV in 2011. Furthermore, in 2022, EHDV was detected for the first time in southern European regions. Outbreaks of BTV, SBV, or EHDV in livestock populations may cause animal suffering and economic losses due to management and control measures such as vaccination and trade restrictions. The aim of this study was to monitor the viruses present in the biting midge population during the severe outbreak of BTV serotype 3 in Germany. Biting midges were caught from April to September 2024 on 14 farms in north-west Germany. Of the trapped midges, 337,359 females were selected and sorted into 7,549 pools, with up to 50 individuals per pool. The pools were tested by PCRs for the genomes of SBV, BTV and EHDV. BTV-RNA was detected in a total of 1,359 pools (18.0%) and SBV-RNA in 402 pools (5.3%). None of the tested pools was positive for EHDV. In this study, we confirmed the ongoing circulation of SBV, as well as an extensive BTV circulation in the Culicoides fauna in north-west Germany in 2024. Both viruses were first detected in the biting midges in early summer and reached their highest levels in August.

Speaker: Dr Sophie Zeiske

12:15 PM Experimental BTV-3 and BTV-8 infection of Culicoides sonorensis biting midges

Bluetongue virus (BTV) is the causative agent of a major livestock disease and it is transmitted by Culicoides biting midges between the ruminant hosts. The first recorded outbreak in Central Europe was caused in 2006/2007 by serotype BTV-8, leading to a major epidemic. In 2023, serotype BTV-3 emerged in the Netherlands and spread rapidly to neighbouring countries. Compared to the BTV-8 outbreak in 2006, the BTV-3 epizootic had a more severe clinical course and spread faster. To explore the possible causes of the different epidemiologies, we compared the replication properties of BTV-8 and BTV-3 in a laboratory colony of Culicoides sonorensis biting midges. The midges were orally infected with BTV-3 or BTV-8 via an infectious blood meal. Engorged females were either processed immediately or incubated for six days. Viral genome copies per individual midge were quantified using BTV-specific RT-qPCR. Replication was assessed using a cut-off derived from day-0 viral loads. Overall, 4.39% of the midges infected with BTV-3 replicated the virus, whereas a smaller proportion of midges infected with BTV-8 replicated the virus (3.44%). Moreover, oral infection with BTV-3 resulted in a significantly higher viral load in infected midges with demonstrated replication than infection with BTV-8. This may be a factor contributing to the observed faster progression of the BTV-3 outbreak in comparison to the BTV-8 outbreak in 2006/2007.

Speaker: Franziska Sick (Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut)

12:30 PM Sequencing complete mitochondrial genomes to solve Culicoides biting midge (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) phylogeny

Accurate species identification of biting midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) is essential for understanding pathogen transmission dynamics and developing effective vector control strategies. Traditional morphological identification is challenging and in many cases impossible due to the occurrence of cryptic species. Although sequencing of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene is widely used for molecular species identification, this marker frequently lacks sufficient resolution within the genus Culicoides.
To overcome these limitations, we used sequence comparison of complete mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes). Compared to single-locus markers, mitogenomes provide substantially greater phylogenetic signal. This approach is valuable for taxonomically challenging groups such as the subgenera Avaritia and Culicoides, in which morphological similarity and low COI divergence complicate species discrimination.
In this study, we generated 32 complete mitogenomes representing 17 Culicoides species. Specimens were collected from multiple locations across Germany during various monitoring programmes, pre-identified morphologically and, if possible, by COI barcoding. Complete mitogenomes were assembled from high-throughput sequencing data. Results indicate the presence of two distinct mitochondrial structures in the two subgenera. These, for example, confirm that Culicoides dewulfi does neither belong to the Obsoletus Group nor to the subgenus Avaritia.

Speaker: Dorothee Scheuch (Friedrich Loeffler Institut)

12:45 PM Mosquitoes are important vectors of arboviruses

Mosquitoes are important vectors of arboviruses but also harbour insect-specific viruses (ISVs), which replicate exclusively in insects. Although numerous ISVs have been identified, little is known about their interactions with arboviruses and mosquito hosts. ISVs closely related to arboviruses have been suggested to interfere with arbovirus replication, making them potential tools for vector control. In this study, we investigated the replication and dissemination of three Bunyaviricetes-class ISVs (Herbert, Gouléako, and Badu viruses) in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes and mosquito-derived cell lines. All three viruses successfully infected and replicated in mosquitoes, although differences in tissue tropism and dissemination were observed. Herbert virus was also detected in saliva, indicating its potential for horizontal transmission. Detailed analysis regarding in interaction In vitro, Herbert virus significantly reduced intracellular RNA levels of Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV); however no significant effects on RVFV infection or transmission were detected in co-infected mosquitoes. These findings provide the first in vivo characterisation of Bunyaviricetes ISVs in Ae. aegypti, improve our understanding of ISV–arbovirus interactions, and highlight the need for further studies to evaluate their potential for arbovirus and vector control.

Speaker: Esther Schnettler

1:00 PM → 1:45 PM Lunch

1:45 PM → 2:15 PM Keynote VI: Monica Berger Gonzalez, Title: Jun Kawilal: integrating a Maya indigenous One Health approach in the design of a community-based risk assessment tool

2:15 PM → 3:00 PM Poster Prize & Farewell