Zika virus: Facts and fiction

Aula Magna del Bo – Via 8 Febbraio - Padova

The One Health concept recognizes that the health of humans is connected to the health of animals and the environment. This concept has become particularly important in the recent years because many factors have changed the interactions among humans, animals, and the environment. These changes have caused the emergence and re-emergence of many infections diseases, involving mainly zoonotic and vector-borne viruses, such as, in the recent years, West Nile virus, Ebola virus, and Zika virus. Viruses are the most represented and diverse biological entity in nature and they continuously evolve and adapt to new hosts and new environmental conditions. Since prehistory, the human-animal interface has continued to evolve and expand, ever allowing new pathogens to access the human host and cross species barriers. With the growth and expansion of human populations, changes in climate and land use, and the increase of international travel and trade, viral infections are becoming more and more a global problem. In this new scenario, Virology should have a global, one-world approach. Successful public health interventions require the establishment of reference centers and preparedness plans by European and Regional Institutions. In this regard, Veneto Region has been in the forefront with the activation of a “Regional Program of geno-phenotyping and molecular epidemiology of infectious agents for microbiology and virology diagnosis”. In addition, cooperations among academic, non-academic, and public health Institutions should be promoted and supported to set up advanced biotechnology platforms for the development of new diagnostic assays and vaccines. In this context, in collaboration with Veneto Region, the European Society for Virology, and the Italian, German, and Brazilian Societies for Virology, we organized this workshop on Zika virus for health workers, researchers, and companies that are involved in virology, infectious diseases, and public health. The event is aimed at Medical Doctor, Biotechnologist, Biologist, Pharmacist, Chemist, Health and Sanitary technician.

Info: http://www.medicinamolecolare.unipd.it/zika-virus-facts-and-fiction