Dear colleagues
It is my pleasure to welcome you to the upcoming II Latin American Society for Vector Ecology Congress (LA SOVE 2022). The meeting will be held this year in La Plata, Argentina, from the 29th of October to the 3rd of November, 2022, at the National University of La Plata (UNLP) Graduate and Convention Center – Karakachoff Building.
The scientific program covers neglected zoonotic and vector-borne diseases, including (but not limited to) mosquito-borne diseases, Chagas, leishmaniasis, tick-borne diseases, viral haemorrhagic fevers, rabies and leptospirosis, which especially affect the health of our Latin American people and the economy of our countries. Moreover, global warming, wildfires, habitat fragmentation, international travel and, last but not least, the current COVID-19 pandemic, are impacting the establishment of vectors in new regions and the emergence of epidemics, though we do not yet know to what extent. It is our objective to share state-of-the-art research and the current status for each of these diseases and aspects.
The Scientific Committee is comprised of prestigious scientists from different Latin American countries (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay) and the congress will consist of symposia, conferences, and a field trip to a marginal jungle. To summarise, a platform and environment where students, young and senior scientists, healthcare professionals and policy makers, can freely debate and deliberate on issues of common interest. We have high expectations for this second LA SOVE meeting, as it will be the consolidation of a partnership between zoonoses policy makers, technicians, scientists, and students from different Latin American countries. There is a great need for initiating dialogues conducive to forging collaborations and sharpening the focus for reducing the burden of these neglected diseases, and we are certain that during this congress we will witness the crystallisation of international collaboration initiatives among participants from Latin America and other continents. Finally, contributing to the elimination of zoonotic and vector-borne diseases and to sustainable vector control is the main focus of this and future LA SOVE meetings.
I sincerely hope you can join us for LA SOVE 2022!
Dr. Christina B. McCarthy
Chair LA SOVE 2022