The West Nile virus, a mosquito-borne disease that killed 18 people in California last year, will be among the diseases discussed at the eighth annual Northern California International Health Conference, set Saturday, April 8 on the University of California, Davis campus. Some 400 health professionals and students are expected to attend.

Medical entomologist Gregory Lanzaro, director of the UC Mosquito Research Program and the UC Davis Center for Vectorborne Diseases, will speak on "The Emerging Threat of Vectorborne Diseases: A Global Perspective," including the West Nile virus (WNV), at 10:45 a.m. in the Activities and Recreation Center (ARC) Pavilion.

WNV, first isolated in the West Nile district of Uganda in 1937, was reported in New York in 1999 and in California in 2002. In 2005, it infected 929 persons from 40 California counties, killing five people in Riverside County; three in Kings County; two each in Fresno and San Bernardino counties; and one each in Butte, Madera, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Stanislaus and Tulare counties.

In addition, California statistics showed that 456 horses, 3,046 dead birds, 1,242 mosquito pools and 1,053 sentinel chickens tested positive for the virus.

At the all-day conference, international and national authorities will key in on a variety of issues, including flu pandemics, the reemergence of tuberculosis, the intersection of human and veterinary issues in emerging diseases, and infections that follow natural disasters, as well as global diseases transmitted by mosquitoes and other pests.
"Emerging diseases and international health are two of the most important areas in public health today," said UC Davis medical school professor Marc Schenker, who chairs the Department of Public Health Sciences. "The news reminds us almost daily about global epidemic spread and the enormous impact of diseases such as avian flu, West Nile fever, malaria and tuberculosis.
"Worldwide, the need for public health efforts to reduce the disease burden from infectious and emerging diseases is urgent and enormous," said Schenker, noting that each year 11 million children under age of 5 die in developing countries from preventable causes.
UC Davis provost and executive vice chancellor Virginia Hinshaw will keynote the conference at 9 a.m., providing an overview of the global influenza challenge.
Hinshaw conducted research for more than 25 years on viruses, primarily influenza, at the Medical College of Virginia, UC Berkeley, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Harvard Medical School, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her international work on the surveillance of influenza viruses in humans, mammals and birds contributed to the understanding of many aspects of influenza viruses.
The conference kicks off with a breakfast at 7:30 a.m. in the ARC Pavilion.

UC Davis Chancellor Larry Vanderhoef will address the crowd at 8:45, followed by Claire Pomeroy, vice chancellor of UC Davis Human Health Sciences and dean of the School of Medicine, and Bennie Osburn, dean of the UC School of Veterinary Medicine.
In addition to Lanzaro, plenary session speakers include Philip Hopewell of UC San Francisco, speaking on tuberculosis control; Nina Marano of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, discussing diseases that affect both animals and humans; and Christian Sandrock of UC Davis Medical Center, speaking on infections that occur after natural disasters.
Breakout sessions will take place in nearby Wellman Hall classrooms. Topics include children and environmental health, the global tobacco epidemic and international mental health.
The event is open to faculty, students and the general public interested in learning more about current issues in global health. More information, registration forms and telephone numbers are available online at http://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/cme/Confrnce/8thAIHC/ConfrncePage.htm.