Meeting: 2nd International Symposium on Ranaviruses, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, July 27 - 29, 2013

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Ranaviruses (family Iridoviridae) are increasingly recognized as global threats to ecologically and commercially important fish, reptiles, and amphibians. For example, one ranavirus, Singapore grouper iridovirus, has triggered substantial losses among mariculture facilities in Asia, whereas Frog virus 3 (FV3)-like viruses have contributed to die-offs among both wild and cultured frogs and turtles throughout the world. To understand the impacts of these emerging infections among cold-blooded vertebrates, the 2nd International Symposium on Ranaviruses (ISR) will focus on ranavirus-mediated disease at the ecological, molecular, immunological, and pathological levels. The meeting will bring together senior and junior investigators, as well as post-doctoral fellows and graduate students, with complementary skill sets in an effort to understand how viral, host, and environmental factors interact to produce the observed ecological, pathological, and population phenotypes and to develop novel diagnostic protocols and control measures. In addition to platform and poster presentations, the 2nd ISR will host two field trips to provide professionals with the tools needed to sample and identify ranavirus-infected animals. Moreover, by coupling the 2nd ISR with the annual International Conference of the Wildlife Disease Association (WDA), information related to ranaviral disease and its impact on cold-blooded vertebrates can be communicated to a larger audience through participation in both meetings and a plenary presentation at the WDA Conference summarizing key findings from the 2nd ISR. Collectively, by bringing together virologists, immunologists, ecologists, and veterinarians, the 2nd ISR will provide a forum for better understanding ranaviruses and provide an extremely effective way to bring together individuals with diverse skills in an effort to understand and control an emerging threat to cold-blooded vertebrates within both the natural environment and commercial aquaculture-based enterprises.