Workshop: Improving knowledge of midge-borne diseases – a Nordic focus

The workshop will be held in a hybrid format, March 18 –19 2026 with the aim to enhance midge-borne disease preparedness in light of climate change and emerging threats in the Nordic region.

Program at a glance

March 18, 11-17hr (break 12:00-13:00): Looking back - what happened and what did we learn from Bluetongue virus (BTV) outbreaks.
March 19, 8:30-15hr (break 12:00-12:45): Long-term focus - How will environmental changes affect midge-borne disease risk.

Participants from all countries are welcome to join. The workshop is free of charge, but attendees are responsible for travel and hotel costs. Before booking travel and lodging, please wait for confirmation that in person attendance is possible. In person participation is limited to 40 participants and priority will be given to Nordic participants.

The workshop is organized by the Nordic Midge-borne Disease Network, hosted at the Norwegian Veterinary Institute.

Registration is closed.

The workshop is co-sponsored by:

Tentative program

11.00 – 11.30: Welcome & introduction 
Bieneke Bron, Norwegian Veterinary Institute (NVI), Workshop host 
11.30 - 12.00: Plenary and Q&A  
Current dynamics of AHSV, BTV and EHDV: Europe's changing epidemiological picture. 
Marta Valero Lorenza, European Reference Laboratory for Orbiviruses, Central Veterinary Laboratory, Spain. 
12.00 – 13.00: Lunch break 
13.00 - 14.00: Plenary and Q&A 
How did Denmark, Norway and Sweden deal with BTV-3 and what did we learn? 
Thomas Rasmussen, Statens Serum Institute (SSI), Denmark;  
Annette Kampen, NVI;  
Erika Chenais, Swedish Veterinary Agency (SVA). 
14.00 – 14.30: Discussion / coffee break 
14.30 – 15:30: Scientific panel 1: Research during the Nordic BTV outbreaks.  
Presentations: 
- Vertical transmission of BTV-3 in Norwegian cattle. 
  Maria Myklatun Krosness, Norwegian University for the Life Sciences (NMBU), Norway 
- Report from the Swedish National Post Mortem Program - Calves born in 2025 with hydrocephalus/hydranencephaly, as a result of a intrauterine infection of BTV-3.
  Ulrika Rockström, Gård och djurhälsan, Sweden. 
- A new surveillance program for orbiviruses in wild ruminants in Denmark.  
  Christina Lazov, SSI, Denmark. 
15.30 - 15.45: Stretch break 
15.45 – 16.45: Scientific panel 2: Research during the Nordic BTV-3 outbreak.
Presentations: 
- BTV-3 bulk milk serology in dairy cattle. Arianna Comin, SVA, Sweden. 
- A midge too far: temperature thresholds for disease emergence.
  Kyrre Kausrud, NVI, Norway. 
- Bluetongue transmission intensity on Danish farms 2008, 2024 and 2025.
  René Bødker, University of Copenhagen, Denmark. 
16.45 - 17.00: Day close, housekeeping notes and plan for day 2.

8.30 - 8.45: Welcome, summary Day 1 and goals for Day 2.
8.45 - 9.45: Plenary and Q&A What is out there? Part 1
Presentations:
- One Health perspective on changing ecological dynamics in Fennoscandia and reindeer herding.
  Morten Tryland, University of Inland Norway
- More Than Medical Judgement: Detecting and Managing Animal Disease Outbreaks in Veterinary Practice.
  Hedvig Gröndal, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Sweden
- Pollen spread model (SILAM) used for midge dispersal in Finland.
  Pilvi Siljamo, Finnish Metereological Institute, Finland
9.45 - 10.15: Coffee break
10.15 - 11.00: Plenary and Q&A What is out there? Part 2
- Schmallenberg virus in Germany: From emergence to enzootic circulation - insights from midge and wildlife surveillance.
  Kerstin Wernike, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI), Germany
- Epizootic Haemorrhagic Disease Virus: A story of emergence, extinction and establishment?
  Alberto Perelló Jiménez, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC, UCLM – CSIC), Spain
11.00 - 12.00: Break-out session – part 1: Midge-borne disease preparedness in light of climate change and emerging threats in the Nordic region.
12.00 – 12.55: Lunch break
13.00 - 13.45: Break-out session – part 2: What is happening next? How much should we prepare at each level? Guided discussion in break-out groups.
13.45 – 14.00: Stretch break and return to plenary.
14.00 - 14.45: New perspectives: Synthesis of break-out sessions and meeting.
14.45 - 15.00: Goodbyes

The workshop is structured to provide input for a perspective paper on midge-borne diseases in the Nordics.
The workshop will produce a workshop report for our non-commercial sponsors.
In the evening session, Nordic participants are invited to meet to work on the Governance document and 2026-2027 calendar for the Nordic Midge-borne Disease Network.

Where: Hybrid: Microsoft Teams & Norwegian Veterinary Institute, Ås, Norway
When: 18. March 2026 kl. 11.00 - 19. March 2026 kl. 15.00

Contact person

Gebbiena Margaretha Bron

Seniorforsker

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