Global Health Summit to focus on infectious diseases, biodiversity

Infectious diseases and the importance of biodiversity is the theme for the 2023 Global Health Summit (GHS), slated for Monday, July 17, during AVMA Convention 2023 in Denver.

Summit speakers will summarize how and why biodiversity impacts infectious diseases and global pandemics, and which diseases are of paramount concern to global animal and human health. Speakers will also discuss international surveillance methods for identifying and forecasting emergent pathogens, and why an integrative approach is difficult but necessary to mitigate the costs of these destructive outbreaks.

The GHS offers a total of six hours of in-person continuing education (CE) about biodiversity and infectious diseases within the public and corporate practice track. It takes place in room 601 at the Colorado Convention Center.

The event kicks off at 9 a.m. MDT with the keynote presentation, “What is Biodiversity, and How Does It impact Disease Outbreaks?” from Dr. Susan VandeWoude, veterinary virologist and dean of the Colorado State University (CSU) College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences..

At 10 p.m., Dr. Tristan Burgess will speak on “Spillover: What Is It, and Why Should Veterinarians Care?”  Dr. Burgess serves as the wildlife field team lead for Strategies to Prevent (STOP) Spillover, a United States Agency for International Development (USAID)–funded project led by Tufts University. He is also associate professor of wildlife health and epidemiology and co-founder at the Center for Wildlife Studies.

Then at 1 p.m. is a presentation by Dr. Michael R. Lappin of Colorado State University on “Clinical Relevance of Spillover.” Dr. Lappin is director of the Center for Companion Animal Studies at CSU and chair of the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) One Health Committee.

Following at 2 p.m. will be Drs. Marissa Milstein and Peregrine Wolff will delivering the presentation “Tale of Two Hunters: Understanding the Role of Wildlife Hunting in Biodiversity.” Dr. Milstein is a wildlife veterinarian at the University of Minnesota with an interest in tropical infectious diseases. Dr. Wolff is executive manager for the Wildlife Disease Association.

John Gittleman, DPhil, will deliver the final presentation at 3 p.m., titled “Future Insights: One Health, Biodiversity, and Infectious Diseases.” Gittleman is dean of the Odum School of Ecology at the University of Georgia.

The program concludes with an audience-interactive panel discussion from 4 p.m. to 4:50 p.m.

After the educational program, the GHS networking reception will take place. The 2023 recipients of the AVMA Global Veterinary Service Award and the AVMA Public Service Award will be celebrated.