First Announcement and call for abstracts - see flyer [.pdf]

Deadline for abstract submission 30.6.2009


Climate change will affect the distribution and population dynamics of animal carriers of disease like mosquitoes or ticks, and the pathogens that are spread by these. For Germany, this means the risk of introductions and establishment of „exotic“ arthropods with high vector competence as well as new diseases transmitted by native species which had not before played any role as disease vectors. However, the distribution of pathogens and their vectors in Germany and their public health significance have remained surprisingly poorly known. Thus, systematic analyses of the influence of climate change on the diversity and distribution of vectors and pathogens are much needed, as are long-term surveys of species which may serve as disease vectors now or in the future. The first outbreak of a disease transmitted by blood sucking insects in Germany since the disappearance of endemic malaria in the middle of the last century – the sudden appearance in the summer of 2006 of blue-tongue disease which is transmitted by gnats of the family Ceratopogonidae – strikingly illustrated these research and monitoring needs.

This interdisciplinary conference will address these problems from different angles and is hoped to contribute to a revival of medical entomology in Germany where this discipline has long been neglected. We are looking forward to your participation and contributions!

Jens Amendt Ulrich Kuch

Dr. Ulrich Kuch
LOEWE Biodiversität und Klima Forschungszentrum (BiK-F)
Senckenberganlage 25
60325 Frankfurt am Main
Tel. 069-7542-1818
Fax 069-7542-1800
www.bik-f.de