Workshops

WS coordinators: C. Billinis, N. Papadopoulos, C. Hadjichristodoulou

This all-day workshop will be held on Monday, August 27th, 2018. It aims to combine the existing knowledge in wildlife and biomedical research and the acquired experience with field work activities. The attendants will gain the necessary practical knowledge to conduct research and interpret the acquired data following formal analysis. The major sections of this workshop are (a) field data collection, and (b) analysis with special reference to the West Nile virus (WNV) example. Special emphasis has been placed on field sampling techniques, data archiving, curing and preparation, advanced statistical analysis and GIS modelling. Participants will attend and execute (a) field work activities (data collection, wild bird count, trapset-up, capturing selected species of mosquitoes, adult and larvae sampling), (b) desktop work (preparation of data, enter field data using suitable statistical software, selection of parameters, descriptive analysis and results’ interpretation, analyze field data through applied multivariate statistical analysis using methods such as Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Cluster analysis, GIS data base development, and GIS modelling), and (c)  identification of major mosquito species to genus and species level.

Participants will be introduced to the state-of-the-art methodology for biomedical studies, including clinical trials, observational studies, sampling and GIS modelling.

Field work will be conducted in the Area of Karla lake-wetland (Mavrovouni Kefalovriso – Velestino) in cooperation with Ecodevelopment (Karla Management Body). Karla wetland in part of the NATURA 2000 network (GR1420004)-(GR1430007)-Sites of Community Importance (SCI) and for Special Areas of Conservation (SAC). Presentations, data analysis and round table discussions will be held at the Department of Medicine (Viopolis, Larissa).

This all day workshop will be held on Monday, August 27th, 2018 from 8:30 AM to 6:00 PM

Workshop registration includes training materials, light lunch, coffee and refreshments as well as the transportation to Karla lake-wetland. Registration is limited to 45 participants.

Instuctors:

• Prof. Periklis Birtsas, Laboratory of Wildlife Ecology, Department of Forestry and Natural Environment, University of Applied Sciences-TEI  of Thessaly, Greece,
• Konstantinos Papaspyropoulos PhD, Special Advisor of Alternate Minister of Environment and Energy,
• Christos Sokos PhD, Department of Wildlife and Hunting, Ministry of Environment and Energy, Greece,
• Alexios Giannakopoulos, Phd Wildlife Ecology Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Veterinary Faculty, University of Thessaly, Greece),
• Ast. Prof George Rachiotis, Nikolas Bitsolas, Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly, Greece
• Dr. Charalampos Ioannou, Laboratory of Entomology and Agricultural Zoology, mosquito specialist,
• Mr. George Mastronikolos, Laboratory of Entomology and Agricultural Zoology.
• Dr. Thomas Kilindris, Laboratory of Medical Physics & Informatics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly,
• Georgia Delivasi, MSc, Ioannis Vergos, MSc, Dimitris Michalakis, Management Body of Ecodevelopment Area of Karla – Mavrovouni – Kefalovriso – Velestino.

Workshop coordinator   Dr. Sasan Fereidouni

The occurrence of highly infectious diseases such as highly pathogenic avian influenza, West Nile, chytridiomycosis, CWD and Ebola, and their spread from one country to other countries and one continent to another one, prompted costly monitoring programs of wild birds and domestic poultry, bats, reptilians and mammals.

Demands for monitoring wild birds and domestic poultry for avian influenza viruses have increased enormously worldwide in the recent years due to an almost panzootic spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses of subtypes H5N1, H5N6 and H5N8.

The whole process of sample collection, transport, and analysis is time-, labor- and money-consuming. In addition, organizing field trips, collecting of all necessary documents and official permissions and establishment of cold chain are very crucial.

In this workshop, whole process of sampling from A-Z will be discussed and strategies to facilitate and economize both surveillance activities and sample analyses will be considered, including sample size estimation, strategies to reduce the chance of cross-contamination in whole process of sampling, working based on the good sampling practice, establishment of cold chain from sample collection to storage in the analyses, and reducing materials and consumables in process of sample collection and analyses.

Duration:  10:00 AM  to 2:00 PM

No. of participants:  up to 40

Coffee break and Light Lunch