From 4 to 7 September 2026, the 9th World One Health Congress (WOHC) in Lisbon brought together experts from science, practice, and policy to discuss current challenges at the intersection of human, animal, and ecosystem health. As one of the leading international congresses in the field of One Health, the biennial WOHC provided a key platform for interdisciplinary exchange on current scientific and health policy developments. With participants from 97 countries, the congress highlighted the truly global nature of One Health. Among the attendees was Amelie Sigge, researcher at the Center for Social & Health Innovation (CSHI) at MCI I The Entrepreneurial School® and doctoral student at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (LMU) in Munich as well as alumna of the Bachelor’s degree programme in Non-profit, Social and Health Management and the Master’s degree programme in International Social & Health Management at MCI. During the congress, she attended scientific presentations, discussion formats, poster sessions, and interactive workshops, using the opportunity to engage with international perspectives on One Health and her own research focus – the prevention of mosquito-borne infectious diseases in Austria.
One Health is based on the recognition that the health of humans, animals, and ecosystems is closely interconnected and interdependent (One Health High-Level Expert Panel et al., 2022). Complex health challenges should therefore not be addressed in isolation, but through the involvement of different scientific disciplines and sectors of society.
Mosquito-borne infectious diseases provide a tangible example of these One Health interconnections. In Austria, climatic and ecological changes can influence the occurrence of mosquitos and the associated risk of infection. West Nile virus, which is already present in Europe, particularly illustrates the interplay between the environment, animals, and humans: this virus circulates between birds and mosquitos and can also infect humans. The relevance of this issue for Austria is highlighted by the first locally acquired human cases of West Nile virus during the 2026 season reported in Vienna, Burgenland and Lower Austria [23.09.2026] (AGES, 2026).
This One Health perspective was at the heart of the World One Health Congress in Lisbon. Over four days, the congress offered an extensive scientific program comprising around 85 sessions, including 25 workshops, 22 panels, 14 Scientific Sessions, 11 Science-Policy Sessions, and five Plenary Keynote Sessions. Topics ranged from climate change and ecosystem health to infectious diseases and surveillance, prevention, communication, and the interface between science and policy. The congress serves as an international forum for sharing current research and health policy developments in the field of One Health.
Of particular relevance to the research project at CSHI were program areas addressing the effects of global environmental change on infectious diseases and their prevention. The program included, for example, current research on the ecology of mosquito-borne diseases under changing environmental conditions, a One Health analysis of the 2025 chikungunya outbreak in China, and ten years of surveillance data on the climate-driven expansion of sand flies in Italy. Another session used the example of Canada to explore how arbovirus surveillance can evolve from the detection of emerging risks towards more comprehensive public health preparedness in the context of a changing climate. These perspectives were complemented by sessions on resilient surveillance systems, prevention, community engagement, and the translation of scientific evidence into policy decision-making (Global One Health Community, 2026).
Participation in the congress was directly linked to the CSHI research project “Fight the Bite”. As part of her PhD project, Amelie Sigge investigates the prevention of mosquito-borne infectious diseases in Austria. Her research examines the factors that influence how citizens perceive related health risks and adopt preventive measures, as well as the role of both individual and structural conditions in shaping preventive behavior.
Looking beyond Austria is particularly important in this context: changes in the geographical distribution of vectors and pathogens, climatic developments, and different approaches to surveillance, risk communication, and prevention make mosquito-borne infectious diseases a cross-border public health challenge. The international and interdisciplinary exchange at the WOHC provided an opportunity to place the research conducted at CSHI within this broader global context and to learn from experiences across different countries and disciplines.
The diverse perspectives and encounters at the congress were particularly valuable for Amelie Sigge: “I am very grateful for the opportunity to attend such a renowned international congress as part of my PhD project. I found it particularly inspiring to engage with people from a wide range of countries and disciplines who are addressing similar global health challenges through their work. It also made the One Health approach – bringing together different perspectives and working jointly towards solutions – especially tangible for me. It is encouraging to see so many people researching current and complex challenges at the intersection of climate and health with the aim of contributing to a healthier and safer future for society. I am returning home with many new insights, approaches, and encounters, and with great motivation for the next steps in my research.”
At the same time, the congress provided an opportunity to bring together different perspectives on the relationship between individual preventive behavior and broader structural conditions. Alongside the question of how people can be informed about health risks and empowered to take preventive action, this also brings surveillance systems, institutional preparedness, policy frameworks, and communication between science, public health, and the public into focus.
The perspectives gained in Lisbon will now feed into the further development of “Fight the Bite”. This supports the reflection on the prevention of mosquito-borne infectious diseases in Austria within the context of current international developments.
Further, the insights from Lisbon will also contribute directly to teaching at MCI. In the Bachelor's program in Social, Health & Public Management, Amelie Sigge will teach the introductory course on One Health and interdisciplinarity. Current international perspectives and scientific developments discussed at the WOHC can therefore be incorporated directly into teaching and explored together with students.
Participation in the 9th World One Health Congress was financially supported by the Cusanuswerk as part of its funding of Amelie Sigge's doctoral research.
AGES. (2026). West Nil Virus. Österreichische Agentur für Gesundheit und Ernährungssicherheit. https://www.ages.at/mensch/krankheit/krankheitserreger-von-a-bis-z/west-nil-virus
Global One Health Community. (2026). Program 9th World One Health Congress. https://globalohc.org/minisite/9WOHC/program
One Health High-Level Expert Panel, Adisasmito, W. B., Almuhairi, S., Behravesh, C. B., Bilivogui, P., Bukachi, S. A., Casas, N., Cediel Becerra, N., Charron, D. F., Chaudhary, A., Ciacci Zanella, J. R., Cunningham, A. A., Dar, O., Debnath, N., Dungu, B., Farag, E., Gao, G. F., Hayman, D. T. S., Khaitsa, M., . . . Zhou, L. (2022). One Health: A new definition for a sustainable and healthy future. PLoS Pathogens, 18(6), e1010537. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1010537
Amelie Sigge, PhD student at the Center for Social & Health Innovation, at the World One Health Congress in Lisbon alongside other researchers and new contacts. © Sigge
Numerous panel discussions and academic presentations with international participants – including Amelie Sigge from MCI – at the World One Health Congress in Lisbon. © Sigge
View of the 25th April Bridge, a landmark of Lisbon, right next to the Congress Center. © Sigge
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