VI International Workshop on Human and Animal Leptospirosis
“Leptospirosis Havana 2012”

II International Congress on Leptospirosis, Syphilis and Borreliosis
“Spirochetes Havana 2012”
 

Leptospirosis is considered a health problem worldwide. In our countries, the emergence and re-emergence of this disease in humans and animals is mainly associated to climatic and sociocultural factors. Lyme Disease and Recurrent Fever are little-known and little-studied borreliosis in countries from the Southern hemisphere, while syphilis is still one of the main sexually transmitted infections, which has re-emerged over the last decades. That is why surveillance and control of these diseases require updated knowledge on epidemiology, clinical care, and microbiology.

The Pedro Kourí Tropical Medicine Institute (IPK), along with the Ministry of Public Health of Cuba (MINSAP) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), has made periodical calls to carry out International Scientific Workshops and Meetings on Spirochetosis, aimed at debating through theoretical-practical sessions, lectures, and presentations the most relevant and state-of-the-art issues on these entities.

We are pleased to invite you to be part of the VI International Workshop on Human and Animal Leptospirosis “Leptospirosis Havana 2012” and II International Congress on Leptospirosis, Syphilis and Borreliosis “Spirochetes Havana 2012” to be held in April, 2012. These events will provide an excellent occasion for exchanging knowledge and experience on these infectious diseases.

We will be looking forward to your participation.

Organizing Committee

  Honor Committee

Dr. Roberto Morales (Public Health Minister of Cuba, MINSAP)
DrC. Luis Estruch (Viceminister of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Microbiology, MINSAP)
Sr. José Luis Di Fabio (General coordinator PAHO in Cuba)
Dr. Jorge Pérez (Director of Tropical Medicine Institute “Pedro Kourí”)
DrC. José Antonio Fraga (Director of Company of Biological Pharmacists Laboratories, LABIOFAM)
DraC. Concepción Campa (Director of Serums and Vaccines Institute “Carlos J. Finlay”)

Dr. José Millán (Director of Veterinary Medicine Institute)
 

Organizing Committee

DraC. Alina Llop (Vicedirector of Microbiology)
DraC. Nereyda Cantelar (Vicedirector of Education)
Dr. Manuel Díaz (Vicedirector of Epidemiology)
DrC. Ernesto Montoro (Head of Bacteriology-Mycology Departament)

Dra. Carmen Fernández (President and Head of National Laboratory of Reference)
DraC. Ana Margarita Obregón (Vicepresident)
Lic. Alicia Reyes (General coordinator)
DrC. Rolando Tápanes (General coordinator)
Dr. Raúl Cruz (MINSAP Coordinator)
Dra. Maria Isela Lantero (MINSAP Coordinator)
Lic. Islay Rodríguez (Scientific Committee)
Lic. Brian Arturo Mondeja (Scientific Commitee)
Lic. Yaindrys Rodriguez (Divulgation and public relationships)
Ing. Mario Barrientos (Informatic)
Sra. Maité García (International affairs)

International Workshop Leptospirosis 2012 from 16 to 20 Abril, 2012

Topics
         I. Microbiology Workshop
                  - Conventional diagnosis
                  - Rapid tests
                  - Molecular diagnosis
                  - Taxonomy of leptospires
                  - Preparation of culture media
                  - Classification of leptospires
                  - Maintenance and storage of strains

         II. Clinical Care and Epidemiology Workshop
                    - Clinical diagnosis and treatment
                    - Health care delivery to critically-ill patients
                    - Anatomopathological criteria
                    - Surveillance and Control
                    - Geographic Information Systems
                    - Vaccines
                    - Community education

Seat
“Pedro Kourí” Tropical Medicine Institute

Invited Professors
The foreign professors invited who have confirmed their participation in the Workshops are:

- Prof. P. Levett

         Health Laboratory, Saskatchewan, Canada.

- Mrs. M. Goris

         Tropical Medicine Institute, The Netherlands.

- Prof. J.S. Jensen

         Staten Serum Institute, Denmark. 

Besides, several Cuban professors will also participate.

Official languages
Spanish and English

Registration
Those interested in attending the Workshop should send their Preliminary Registration Form and a brief CV before 15 March 2012 through the following email address: leptospira@ipk.sld.cu

Registration Fee
Registration Fee for participating in the VI International Workshop on Human and Animal Leptospirosis “Leptospirosis Havana 2012” is 600.00 CUC*.

First Pre-congress course " Lyme borreliosis: from vector to disease" (April 22, 2012)

Topics
        - Clinical manifestation of Lyme disease
        - History of the etiological agent's discovery
        - The vector ticks
        - The spirochete
        - Geographical distribution of the different species of Borrelia
        - Hosts: xenodiagnoses
        - Other cycles
        - Prevention
        - Serological diagnosis of early and late borreliosis and neuroborreliosis
        - Molecular diagnosis
        - Diagnosis by culture
 

At the end of the course there will be a session for discussion about possible research projects among participants and financiers' proposals.

Seat
Palco Hotel (It is situated on the complex of the Convention Center of Havana, where the II International Congress “Spirochetes Havana 2012” will be develop).

Invited Professors
- Prof. Lise Gern.

          University of Neuchatel. Switzerland.

- Prof. Reto Lienhard.

          Laboratory ADMed of Microbiology of La-Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland.

Official language
English

Registration
Those interested in participating should contact us by the email address: leptospira@ipk.sld.cu or islay@ipk.sld.cu, before 29 February 2012.

Registration Fee
30.00 CUC*

Topics
       Leptospirosis
             - World situation 
             - Conventional and Molecular Diagnosis
             - Immunology and pathogenesis
             - Epidemiology
             - Clinical and therapeutic issues
             - Vaccines
             - Quality management
             - Ecology
             - Community education

       Syphilis
             - Microbiological diagnosis
             - Congenital syphilis diagnosis
             - Syphilis-HIV/aids and other sexually transmitted infections
             - Clinical and therapeutic issues
             - Epidemiology
             - Prevention and control

        Borreliosis
             - Microbiological diagnosis of Lyme Disease and recurrent Fever
             - Main vectors and their relation with Borrelia spp.
             - Coinfection Borrelia spp. with other pathogens
             - Clinical and therapeutic issues
             - Epidemiology
             - Taxonomy

Seat
Convention Center of Havana

Key lectures
Experts from national and international institutions will be lecturing at the Congress.

Foreign lecturers who have already confirmed their participation:
- Prof. R. Hartskeerl

       Tropical Medicine Institute (KIT), The Netherlands.

- Prof. B. Adler

       Monash University, Australia.

- Prof. A.L. Ko

       Epidemiology of Microbial Disease Division,

       Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA.

- Prof. L. Gern

        Biology Institute, Neuchatel University, Switzerland.

- Prof. R. Lienhard

        Laboratory ADMed Microbiology, La Chaux de Fonds, Switzerland.

- Prof. P. Anda

        National Center of Microbiology, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spain.

- Prof. J.S. Jensen

        Staten Serum Institute, Denmark.

Likewise, some Cuban lecturers have also been invited.

Presentation of the scientific results
Participants will present their results as free topics through oral presentations and/or posters.

Official languages
Spanish and English.

Registration
Those interested in participating should sent their Preliminary Registration Form, before 15 March 2012, to the following email address:  leptospira@ipk.sld.cu

Note: Participants presenting scientific results will have priority for registration.

Registration Fee
Registration fee for the II International Congress on Leptospirosis, Syphilis and Borreliosis “Spirochetes Havana 2012” is 200.00 CUC*.

Abstract Submission
Abstracts of results to be presented during the sessions of the Scientific Meeting and the Symposium should be edited in Microsoft Word format, font and size Times New Roman 12, and must include title, authors’ full names, institution, and first author’s email. Abstract length should not be more that 300 at most. It should include: introduction, objective, material and methods, results, and conclusions.
Please send your abstracts to: leptospira@ipk.sld.cu
Abstract submission deadline is 15 March 2012.

Especial Fee Offer: All those interested in be part of the VI International Workshop on Human and Animal Leptospirosis and the “Leptospirosis Havana 2012” and II International Congress on Leptospirosis, Syphilis and Borreliosis “Spirochetes Havana 2012” will have the benefits of a Special Fee Offer for registration in both activities. The Special Fee Offer is 700.00 CUC.

Accommodation and reservation
Palco Hotel  ****
Contact to: Mercedes Labrada Jerez: mercila@palco.cu

*CUC = currency in circulation within the country. It can be obtained at the airport, in hotels, in bank agencies, or in exchange houses. Foreign currency that can be changed, according to the daily international exchange rate, are American dollars, Euros, Canadian dollars, Sterling pounds and Swiss francs.