1st INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON SWINE INFLUENZA
FROM SCIENCE TO POLICIES
23–25 September 2026
Hotel International, Zagreb, Croatia
SCIENTIFIC PROGRAMME
Day 1 — Wednesday, 23 September 2026
ESFLU Final Meeting & Stakeholders’ Roundtable
08:00–09:00 | Registration |
09:00–09:50 | Opening ceremony Welcome addresses from the organisers |
09:50–10:00 | Meeting organisation & symposium overview Gwenaëlle Dauphin |
SESSION 1 — DIAGNOSTICS & VIRUS DYNAMICS | |
10:00–10:25 | Historical perspectives of swine influenza in Europe Gaelle Simon |
10:25–10:45 | Strengthening diagnostic capability in Europe Sasan Fereidouni, Annika Graaf-Rau, Chiara Chiapponi, Helen Everett |
10:45–11:10 | Collaborative monitoring of virus spatial & geographic dynamics Gautier Richard, Pia Ryt-Hansen, Alexander Byrne |
11:10–11:40 | Coffee break |
SESSION 2 — SURVEILLANCE, BIOSECURITY & ECONOMICS | |
11:40–12:00 | Swine influenza surveillance: approaches & guidelines Tijs Tobias |
12:00–12:20 | Biosecurity for swine influenza Miroslav Kjosevski |
12:20–12:40 | Economic impact of swine influenza Eduardo Velazquez |
12:40–13:45 | Lunch |
SESSION 3 — VACCINATION, PERCEPTION & ZOONOTIC RISK | |
13:45–14:10 | Vaccines and vaccination Claire Hautefeuille |
14:10–14:35 | Disease and vaccination perception Lucía Dieste Pérez |
14:35–15:00 | Zoonotic risk Lars E. Larsen |
15:00–15:30 | Coffee break |
STAKEHOLDERS’ ROUNDTABLE — POLICY & FUTURE STRATEGY | |
15:30–16:30 | Panel discussion with policy makers & stakeholders EU-level monitoring of swine influenza, risk communication, surveillance coordination and policy harmonisation. Panellists to be confirmed. |
16:30–17:00 | Closure of the day Gwenaëlle Dauphin |
19:00–21:00 | Gala dinner |
Day 2 — Thursday, 24 September 2026
Scientific Symposium — Day 1 of 2
SESSIONS 4 & 5 Virus evolution & characterisation · Diagnostics & detection methods | |
09:00–09:30 | KEYNOTE LECTURE Swine influenza virus dynamics in depth (2013–2026) Gautier Richard |
09:30–10:00 | KEYNOTE LECTURE Monitoring zoonotic cases: what we see in humans (One Health) Angeliki Melidou |
SESSION 4 — VIRUS EVOLUTION & CHARACTERISATION | |
10:00–11:00 | 4.1 Pre-pandemic characterisation of swine influenza viruses: a WHO Collaborating Centre perspective Alexander M. P. Byrne 4.2 Antigenic drift and nursery immunity gaps in farrow-to-finish herds: implications for vaccination strategy Jerrold M. Tubay 4.3 Evolution of surface proteins in swine influenza A viruses circulating in Belgium (2023–2026) Maha Masoudi 4.4 Regular monitoring of Spanish pig farms in different regions reveals a high degree of genetic diversity and dynamic circulation of influenza A virus within farms Ivan Domingo-Carreño |
11:00–11:30 | Coffee break & poster viewing |
SESSION 5 — DIAGNOSTICS & DETECTION METHODS | |
11:30–12:30 | 5.1 Another virus bites the dust: electrostatic dust collectors as non-invasive alternative for detection and sequencing of influenza A virus in pig herds Marina Meester 5.2 Which influenza-A subtypes can be found in fattener blood on Hungarian farms with HI testing? Péter Máté 5.3 Serological and molecular detection of swine influenza A virus in Macedonian commercial pig farms Branko Angjelovski 5.4 Same virus, different stories: measuring swine influenza virus transmission in three Dutch farms under endemic circumstances Evelien A. Germeraad |
12:30–12:45 | Flash poster presentations Virus evolution & diagnostics |
12:45–13:00 | Sponsor presentation |
13:00–14:00 | Lunch & poster session |
SESSION 6 — EPIDEMIOLOGY & SURVEILLANCE | |
14:00–14:20 | KEYNOTE LECTURE Swine influenza situation in Europe Pia Ryt-Hansen |
14:20–14:40 | KEYNOTE LECTURE Swine influenza situation in the Americas Martha Nelson |
14:40–15:00 | KEYNOTE LECTURE Swine influenza situation in Asia Tommy Lam |
15:00–15:30 | Coffee break & poster viewing |
15:30–17:00 | 6.1 Ongoing circulation of human-derived H3N2 swine influenza viruses in Northern Italy Laura Soliani 6.2 H3N2 influenza A virus detected in pigs in Great Britain for the first time in three decades Benjamin C. Mollett 6.3 Genomic surveillance reveals dominance of Eurasian avian-like swine influenza A virus and bidirectional transmission in Swiss pig herds Mike Mwanga 6.4 Understanding endemic swine influenza dynamics in pig herds: insights from longitudinal monitoring and machine learning Elisabeth Hellec 6.5 Integrated surveillance strategies of swine influenza A viruses to assess environmental contamination and occupational exposure in pig farms Andrea Fortin 6.6 Enhancing influenza A surveillance in the Netherlands: addressing epidemiology gaps of influenza A in a One Health context Lucía Dieste-Pérez |
17:00–17:15 | Flash poster presentations Epidemiology & surveillance |
18:30–19:30 | Cocktail |
19:30–21:30 | Dinner |
Day 3 — Friday, 25 September 2026
Scientific Symposium — Day 2 of 2
SESSION 7 — PREVENTION & CONTROL | |
09:00–09:30 | KEYNOTE LECTURE Swine influenza vaccines Enric Mateu |
09:30–10:15 | 7.1 RNA particle vaccines encoding influenza A virus hemagglutinin or neuraminidase: safety and efficacy in pigs Susan Knetter 7.2 Detection rates and vaccination strategies in Danish sow herds 2020–2025 Charlotte Sonne Kristensen 7.3 Biosecurity measures for optimised management & control of swine influenza in pig herds Paula Rebollo-Igual |
10:15–10:45 | Coffee break & poster viewing |
10:45–11:15 | 7.4 Perception of swine influenza A risk for animal and human health and role of vaccination among stakeholders in the pig industry: a qualitative study in Brittany, France Séverine Thys 7.5 Understanding Serbian pig farmers’ perceptions for effective swine influenza prevention and control Jasna Prodanov-Radulović |
11:15–11:30 | Flash poster presentations Prevention & control |
11:30–12:00 | Closing ceremony Summary & key messages; announcement of the 2nd Symposium Gwenaëlle Dauphin |
End of the Symposium
About the symposium
The 1st International Symposium on Swine Influenza brings together researchers, veterinarians, policy makers and stakeholders from across Europe and beyond to share the latest scientific findings on swine influenza and to explore how research can inform practical decision-making and effective policies.
Day 1 (Wednesday 23 September) is dedicated to the Final Meeting of the European Swine Influenza Network (ESFLU), presenting the results of four years of collaborative work across more than 30 countries, and closes with a roundtable bringing science and policy together. Days 2 and 3 (Thursday–Friday, 24–25 September) form the open scientific symposium, with invited keynote lectures, selected oral presentations and poster sessions.
All sessions are plenary (single track). Oral presentations are allocated 15 minutes (12 minutes presentation + 3 minutes discussion). Posters are displayed throughout the symposium, with selected posters featured in flash presentation sessions.
Contact
Email: esflu.meeting@swineflu.eu
Website: https://swineflu.eu
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/esflu-cost-ca21132
This programme is preliminary. Sessions, speakers and timings are subject to change.
Organised by the Croatian Veterinary Institute and the European Swine Influenza Network (ESFLU)
Supported by COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) — COST Action CA21132
About the Symposium
The 1st Swine Influenza Symposium, combined with the final European Swine Influenza Network (ESFLU) meeting, brings together researchers, policymakers, veterinarians and stakeholders from across Europe and beyond to share the latest scientific findings on swine influenza and explore how research can inform practical decision‑making and effective policies.
The first‑day event showcases four years of collaborative achievements from the European Swine Influenza Network (ESFLU), a COST Action that has harmonised surveillance, enhanced data sharing, developed guidelines, and built capacity across 30+ European countries. The following two days constitute the open international symposium, featuring keynote lectures, scientific sessions and networking opportunities.
Through scientific presentations, stakeholder dialogue and networking sessions, participants will engage with the latest research findings within a One Health framework, fostering interdisciplinary and cross‑sectoral collaboration.
Key Topics
- Diagnostic and laboratory method harmonization
- Viral evolution and genetic diversity across Europe
- Surveillance systems and epidemiology
- Biosecurity measures and farm management
- Economic impact and control strategies
- Vaccines and vaccination strategies
- Zoonotic risk assessment and One Health approaches
- Policy development and stakeholder engagement
Expected Participants
150-200 participants including researchers, veterinarians, diagnosticians, epidemiologists, policy makers, representatives from international organizations (WHO, ECDC, WOAH, EFSA, OFFLU), industry stakeholders, and early-career scientists.
Additional Information
Poster Sessions
Poster presentations will be displayed throughout the symposium with dedicated viewing times during coffee and lunch breaks. Selected posters will be featured in 3‑minute flash presentations.
Abstract Submission
Call for abstracts will open on 2 May 2026 and close on 15 June 2026. Abstracts can be submitted for oral or poster presentations across all thematic areas. Notifications of acceptance will be sent by 30 June 2026.
Registration
Registration will open on 15 April 2026. Details on registration fees and deadlines will be available on the symposium pages.
Venue & Accommodation
Hotel International, Zagreb, Croatia. Accommodation recommendations and booking information will be available on the symposium website.
Contact
For inquiries: esflu.meeting@swineflu.eu
Website: https://swineflu.eu
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/esflu-cost-ca21132
Note: This is a preliminary programme. Sessions, speakers, and timeframe may be changed.
This event is supported by COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology),
funded by the Horizon 2020 Framework Programme of the European Union