Europe's veterinary microbiology community is preparing for a major scientific summit focused on the infectious diseases that jump from animals to humans and the growing threat of drug-resistant bacteria. The 8th International Conference of the European College of Veterinary Microbiology (ECVM) will bring together clinical researchers, diagnostic laboratory experts, university scientists, and government health officials from across Europe to share knowledge about animal health and infectious diseases.

Why Should Veterinarians and Microbiologists Care About This Conference?

The conference, scheduled for September 2026 at the University of Surrey in Guildford, England, represents a critical gathering for scientists working at the intersection of animal and human health. The ECVM oversees specialist training and registration for veterinary microbiologists throughout Europe, making this annual meeting a cornerstone event for the field. Scientists at any career stage, whether veterinarians or not, are welcome to attend and participate in the scientific program.

The timing of this conference is particularly significant given the global challenges posed by emerging infectious diseases. The meeting will feature keynote lectures, specialized workshops, and research presentations covering multiple critical areas:

• Antimicrobial Resistance: Sessions will address the growing problem of bacteria that no longer respond to standard antibiotics, a threat that affects both animal and human medicine.
• Emerging Bacterial Diseases: Researchers will discuss new and evolving bacterial pathogens that threaten livestock and potentially human populations.
• Viral Surveillance and Virology: Scientists will share findings on virus detection, characterization, and monitoring strategies for emerging viral threats.
• Zoonoses: The conference will explore diseases that naturally transmit from animals to humans, a critical area given recent global health events.
• Viral and Bacterial Co-Infections: Experts will examine cases where animals or humans are infected with multiple pathogens simultaneously, complicating diagnosis and treatment.
• AI for Epidemic Preparedness: The conference will explore how artificial intelligence can help predict and prepare for disease outbreaks.
• Diagnostics and Mycology: Sessions will cover innovative testing methods and fungal infections in animals.

What Are the Key Topics Experts Will Address?

One of the most anticipated keynote lectures will explore whether we are entering "a golden era for the development of veterinary vaccines." This presentation will be delivered by Brendan Wren, Co-Director of the Vaccine Centre at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Wren has authored over 450 peer-reviewed scientific publications and is a leading expert in bacterial pathogenesis and vaccine development. His current research focuses on glycosylation in bacterial pathogens and the development of affordable recombinant glycoconjugate vaccines for both human and veterinary use.

Another major keynote will address "One Health and emerging zoonoses: prevention, partnerships and pragmatism," presented by Sarah Cleaveland, Professor of Comparative Epidemiology at the University of Glasgow. Cleaveland leads an interdisciplinary research program based in Tanzania that examines zoonotic and livestock diseases. Her work focuses on understanding how multi-host pathogens spread and developing interventions that optimize human, animal, and ecosystem health outcomes. She is also a member of the Lancet Commission for Preventing Viral Spillover, an international body focused on pandemic prevention.

How Are Experts Addressing Specific Disease Threats?

The conference will feature specialized talks on pressing infectious disease challenges. One presentation will examine "the emergence of zoonotic multi-drug resistant Streptococcus suis," a bacterial pathogen that can spread from animals to humans and has developed resistance to multiple antibiotics. This talk will be delivered by Constance Schultsz, a Medical Microbiologist and Professor of Global Health at Amsterdam UMC, whose research focuses on emerging infectious diseases and antibiotic resistance. Schultsz has worked extensively in Bangladesh and Vietnam studying disease transmission and antimicrobial resistance patterns.

Another presentation will explore "predicting animal disease through the microbiome," presented by Luca Guardabassi, Professor of One Health Antimicrobial Resistance at the University of Copenhagen. Guardabassi is a pioneer in veterinary antimicrobial stewardship and has contributed to numerous international guidelines for responsible antibiotic use in animals. His current work applies advanced genetic analysis and machine learning to understand how antimicrobial use affects the bacterial communities living in animal digestive systems, with the goal of identifying new strategies to reduce antibiotic use.

The conference will also include talks on poultry health, hepatitis E virus transmission from animals to humans, and other emerging zoonotic threats. Peter O'Kane, a consultant clinical poultry veterinarian, will provide a "poultry veterinary overview for microbiologists," while Wim van der Poel, Professor of Emerging and Zoonotic Viruses at Wageningen University and Research, will discuss hepatitis E virus, animal reservoirs, and co-infections in humans.

What Training and Professional Development Opportunities Are Available?

Beyond the scientific presentations, the conference will offer hands-on learning opportunities for veterinary microbiologists at all career stages. The event will include residency training courses, an innovative diagnostics workshop for residents, professional exams, and the ECVM's annual general meeting. Attendees will also have the opportunity to network at a welcome reception and a conference dinner at Loseley Park, a historic estate in Surrey.

The convergence of these topics reflects a broader recognition in the scientific community that animal health and human health are inseparable. As infectious diseases continue to emerge and spread globally, and as bacteria develop resistance to the antibiotics we rely on, the work of veterinary microbiologists becomes increasingly critical to protecting public health. The ECVM conference represents a key forum for advancing this vital research and building international partnerships to address these shared threats.

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