Strengthening Health Systems for a New Era in Vector‑Borne Diseases
ISNTD Bites
23 April 2026
Online conference
#ISNTDBites
#beatNTDs
Introduction
ISNTD Bites is the International Society for Neglected Tropical Diseases’ annual meeting dedicated to vector control and the prevention of vector‑borne neglected tropical diseases.
As vector‑borne diseases expand into both long‑affected regions and entirely new geographies, the need for coordinated, forward‑looking action has never been greater. This year’s ISNTD Bites brings together global health leaders, researchers, policymakers, and practitioners to explore the innovations, partnerships, and policy approaches shaping the future of vector control.
Across a full day of presentations and panel discussions, we will examine emerging research, evolving risks, and the systems‑level responses required in an era defined by climate pressures, rapid urbanisation, global mobility, and shifting health financing landscapes.
For any enquiries, please contact comparetm@isntd.org.
Click here to register for ISNTD Bites 2026
Programme Overview
Date: Thursday 23 April 2026
Time: 8.00 - 15.00 UTC
Venue: Online (connection details to follow)
This year’s programme responds to a moment of profound change: expanding arboviral outbreaks, shifting vector ecology, rapid urbanisation, global mobility, and the growing pressures of climate and financing on health systems.
8.00-8.25 UTC | Rethinking vector-borne disease control in a changing world
Dr Lauren Carrington (Technical Officer, World Health Organization)
8.30-9.45 UTC | Spotlight on the Growing Arboviral Threat: Towards Integrated Solutions in a Changing Climate
Challenges in emerging and reemerging arboviral diseases: the examples of Oropouche and Yellow Fever
Prof Alfonso Javier Rodriguez-Morales (Faculty of Medicine, Fundación Universitaria Autónoma de las Américas-Institución Universitaria Visión de las Américas, Pereira, Risaralda, Colombia)
Comparative abundance and bionomics of Aedes aegypti and invasive Ae albopictus across five eco-climatic zones in Cameroon
Dr Basile Kamgang (Head of Medical Entomology Department at Centre for Research in Infectious Diseases, CRID Cameroon) -
Integrated dengue sero-epidemiological and Aedes entomological surveys reveal endemic dengue transmission in northwestern Tanzania
Dr Joe Biggs (Assistant Professor in Epidemiology, International Statistics and Epidemiology Group, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine)
Mobilising Collective Action for Dengue: Building Integrated Responses Across Sectors
Kevin Tetteh (FIND, Director of Malaria and Fevers and Collective Action on Dengue CAD, Co-chair)
9.45-10.15 UTC | Networking break: meet colleagues from around the world and share updates about your work too!
10.15-11.45 UTC | From Field Reality to System Readiness: Strengthening Capacity Against Vector Threats
Key findings from RAFT: New evidence shaping the future of vector‑borne disease resilience
Prof Sian Clarke (Professor of Epidemiology. London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and Resilience Against Future Threats, RAFT)
Operationalising environmental DNA (eDNA) detection of major malaria vector species in Ghana
Dr Mojca Kristan (Assistant Professor in Medical Entomology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine)
Building capacity and improving preparedness against vector-borne disease outbreaks: the Global Vector Hub
Frederik Seelig (Center for Immunology of Viral Infections CiViA, Aarhus University and Global Vector Hub)
Gaps, strengths and priorities in preparedness and response to arbovirus threats: insights from four country self-assessments
Dr Poe Poe Aung (Senior Research Specialist, Malaria Consortium, Thailand)
12.15-13.45 UTC | When Vectors Undermine Disease Control: Evidence‑Driven Strategies for Impact in Neglected Tropical Diseases
Reaching elimination of onchocerciasis transmission with long-term vector control and ivermectin treatment in Togo
Prof María-Gloria Basáñez & Dr Luís-Jorge Amaral (Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Imperial College London)
The Last Mile: Lessons from the Guinea Worm Eradication Frontier and Its Vector‑Linked Transmission Challenges
Dr Kathryn Schaber (Epidemiologist, The Carter Center)
Barriers to surveillance and control of re-emergence of the Chagas disease vector Triatoma infestans in Arequipa, Peru
Laura D. Tamayo (Department of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease, Celia Scott Weatherhead School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University)
Building resilience against the growing threat of arboviruses: a scoping review of Aedes vector surveillance, control strategies and insecticide resistance in Africa
Prof Richard Oxborough (Medical Entomologist and Lecturer, College of Southern Nevada)
14.00-15.00 UTC | Innovations Forum
Advancing Dengue Prevention: Wolbachia Implementation and Impact in Honduras
Dr Eduardo Quevedo (External relations Manager LATAM, World Mosquito Programme)
Next‑Generation Vector Control: Innovation, Evidence, and Field Realities in Sub‑Saharan Africa
Dr Rose Peter (Head of Vector Control, Sub-Saharan Africa, Syngenta Global Health)
Drones & Dengue: Aerial Intelligence for Smarter Aedes Control in Informal Cities
Dr Joelle Ivy Rosser (Division of Infectious Disease and Geographic Medicine, Stanford University)
Previously at ISNTD Bites
The International Society for Neglected Tropical Diseases
