Short overview on the symposium “Power of Fungi and Mycotoxins in Health and Disease”

Croatian Microbiological Society has organized the International Symposium “Power of Fungi and Mycotoxins in Health and Disease”, which was held in Šibenik from 20^th to 23^rd of September 2015. This is the fourth symposium about fungi and mycotoxins that was organized in Croatia. Members of Organizing Committee were Stjepan Pepeljnjak (Symposium President), Dubravko Jelić (President of Organizing Committee), Daniela Jakšić Despot (Secretary), Ivana Rajnović (Treasurer), Danko Hajsig, and Domagoj Kifer, while members of Program Committee were Maja Šegvić Klarić (President), Vanda Plečko, Annie Pfohl-Leszkowicz, Elena Pieckovà, Ljiljana Pinter, Maja Peraica, Bogdan Cvjetković, Tihomir Miličević and Frane Delaš.

The symposium has been supported by Ministry of Science, Education and Sports of the Republic of Croatia, Federation of European Microbiological Societies (FEMS), European Confederation of Medical Mycology (ECMM), as well as Fidelta Ltd, Alltech, Biomin and Bio Pharm Vet. A special event during the symposium was a roundtable, “Mycotoxins as Economic and Health Hazards” dedicated to deoxynivalenol-DON, which was held on 22nd of September. The round table was organized in cooperation with the Croatian Food Agency and financially supported by Noack company.

The symposium brought together scientist from all over the world (Slovakia, Poland, Austria, Belgium, Portugal, Italy, Slovenia, Lithuania, Canada, India and Japan). 54 participants enjoyed lectures from 15 invited speakers and 12 oral presentations. Many topics were covered, such as emergent pathogen in humans, distribution and biodiversity of (toxigenic) fungi, deleterious effect of single and combined mycotoxins, mycotoxins detection, control and reduction strategies and fungal diseases in animals and plants. Among poster presentations, Karuna Singh (India) won the award for best poster, entitled “Serological evaluation of Saprolegnia diclina parasitica causing saprolegniasis in experimentally infected Channa punctatus (Bloch)”.

Along with idea sharing, interesting discussions and planning new collaborations, the Symposium was enriched with great social events. Song „Congress time“ at the opening ceremony (written by Stjepan Pepeljnjak), joyful dance at welcome reception as well as dance after congress dinner was eliciting smiles on faces of participants. Excursion took place at Krka waterfalls – one of eight National parks in Croatia. Apart from incredible sights of waterfalls, sunny day and beautiful nature encouraged some symposium participants to take a swim at Skradinski Buk in the cleanest water in the world.

After this memory refreshment, we wish to greet you and we hope that we will welcome you at next Power of Fungi and Mycotoxins in Health and Disease in 2019!

Symposium organisers