The WVPA is the global professional organisation for poultry veterinarians and poultry health scientists and it has branches in over 40 countries and more than 2,000 members. Its goal is the global furtherance of knowledge on poultry health matters.

WVPAC2013 has been organised by GF-AMVA (the French Branch of WVPA). The event’s organiser, French poultry veterinarian, Nicolas Eterradossi, is very pleased with a turnout of some 1,250 attendees from over 60 countries from all around the world.

Dr Eterradossi said: “Obviously in organising an event of this size there are many challenges, but my French Committee have worked exceptionally well with all the stakeholders, to produce an excellent scientific programme that is complemented by a similar social programme. We would like to thank everyone who has played a part in bringing this event to Nantes and making it such a successful event.”

These sentiments were echoed by WVPA president, Professor Trevor Bagust from Australia who said: “We never had any doubts that the French would be great hosts and this Congress has exceeded WVPA’s aspirations - for which we thank our French Branch. We are looking forward to the comprehensive and thought provoking programme that Nicolas and his team have brought together for WVPAC2013 that contains a dozen keynote lectures and the prestigious Avian Pathology Lecture.”

The WVPA Congress returns to Europe after recent successful events in China (2007), Morocco (2009) and Mexico (2011). In future they will alternate between Europe and the rest of the world, with the next Congress being in Cape Town, South Africa in 2015.

Full details about WVPA can be found at www.wvpa.net.