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): Short-term focus - What is needed for midge-borne disease preparedness now? What was learned in the Nordic region from BTV-3?
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.

→ Register for the workshop here

Deadline for registration: March 11th 2026.

The workshop is co-sponsored by:

Tentative program

11.00 – 11.30: Welcome & introduction 
Bieneke Bron, 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, Denmark;  
Annette Kampen, Norwegian Veterinary Institute, Norway;  
Erika Chenais, Swedish Veterinary Agency. 
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 
- A curious case of a malformed calf*.  
  Ulrika Rockström, Gård och djurhälsan, Sweden. 
- A new surveillance program for orbiviruses in wild ruminants in Denmark.  
  Christina Lazov, Statens Serum Institute, Denmark. 
15.30 - 15.45: Stretch break 
15.45 – 16.45: Scientific panel 2: Research during the Nordic BTV-3 outbreak.
Presentations: 
- What did we learn from bulk milk surveillance?*  
  Arianna Comin, Swedish Veterinary Agency, Sweden. 
- Development and use of temperature dependent ‘risk’ mapping*.
  Kyrre Kausrud, Norwegian Veterinary Institute, Norway. 
- Bluetongue virus and midge intensity 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 from Day 1
8.45 - 9.45: What is out there? Three talks, learning from pollen, birds and EHDV.
9.45 - 10.15: Coffee break and move to break-out sessions
10.15 - 12.00: Break-out session: identify how environmental changes affect midge-borne disease dynamics and impact from different perspectives. Each session contains two short presentations followed by Q&A, and discussion.
Tentative perspectives i.e. break out groups:
- Agriculture & Veterinary,
- Virology & Serology,
- Vectors (& wildlife),
- Climate (models),
- Socio-economic.
12.00 – 13.00: Lunch break
13.00 - 14.00: Break-out session: What is happening next? How much should we prepare at each level? Guided discussion in break-out groups.
14.00 – 14.15: Stretch break and return to plenary.
14.15 - 15.00: New perspectives: Synthesis of break-out sessions and meeting.

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