MORE than 20 scientists and experts and 200 researchers from the European Union (EU) and South-East Asia are in in Singapore to discuss new strategies to combat diseases such as dengue, malaria and chikugunya.

Organised by the Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN) under the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*Star), the EU-South-East Asia Expert Meeting on Vector-Borne Diseases is a two-day meeting being held in Biopolis. It opened on Monday.

Professor Sir Roy Anderson, a distinguished epidemiologist and Rector of Imperial College London, delivered the first keynote lecture.

Issues such as virology, parasitology, transmission, diagnostics, and treatment and prevention strategies of vector-borne diseases are expected to be discussed.

Vector-borne diseases are infectious diseases that are transmitted by mosquitoes, ticks, sand-flies and rodents. They include dengue, malaria, chikungunya and encephalitis, which are a rising concern in developing and developed nations.

Vector-borne diseases put up to 80 per cent of the world's population at risk of infection, with some 500 million reported cases a year.

Due to factors like climate and environmental changes, globalisation and the increasing travel and trade that it brings, the spread of vector-borne diseases are no longer confined to specific regions of the world as before.

In Southeast Asia, which is endemic to vector-borne diseases like malaria and dengue, heightened surveillance measures and vector control measures have been implemented.

In Singapore, several outbreaks of dengue, malaria, and chikungunya have occurred in the past 10 years. Without available commercial vaccines for these diseases, Singapore is still expending significant resources in the fight against them.

Said Mr Lim Chuan Poh, chairman of A*Star: 'This is a timely meeting. The Influenza Type A H1N1 pandemic is with us and poised for a second wave... I trust that these discussions will lead to new research collaborations and spawn innovations that will advance our knowledge of the diseases and enhance human healthcare delivery.'