As part of the Symposium “Current Challenges Associated with West Nile Virus Infection”, held on 18 September 2026 in Zagreb, Prof. Ljubo Barbić from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb delivered a presentation entitled “The Importance of Animals in Assessing the Public Health Risk Associated with West Nile Virus”.

The symposium brought together experts in human and veterinary medicine, public health, and laboratory diagnostics to discuss the latest developments in the epidemiology, diagnosis, and surveillance of West Nile virus infection. Particular emphasis was placed on the One Health approach, highlighting the importance of collaboration between different sectors in the prevention and control of zoonotic diseases.

In his presentation, Prof. Barbić emphasized the importance of animals as indicators of virus circulation in the environment and their key role in the early detection and assessment of public health risks. Monitoring infections in animal populations is an essential component of surveillance systems, enabling the timely identification of potential threats to human health and supporting the implementation of effective preventive measures.

The symposium was particularly relevant to the CROOH project, in which West Nile fever has been identified as one of the priority diseases for the development of a coordinated surveillance system in line with the One Health approach.