Optimising poultry flock health

Part 1 Understanding infectious diseases in poultry

1.Understanding the molecular biology of avian viruses and their role in poultry health: Alejandro Banda, Mississippi State University, USA;

2.Advances in understanding bacterial diseases in poultry: challenges and perspectives: Surya Paudel, Michael Hess and Claudia Hess, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Austria;

3.Advances in understanding parasite infections of poultry: protozoa and the red mite: Damer P. Blake, Royal Veterinary College, UK; and Dieter Liebhart, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Austria;

Part 2 Preventing diseases in poultry

4.Improving biosecurity in poultry flocks: Jean-Pierre Vaillancourt and Manon Racicot, Universit© de Montr©al, Canada; and Mattias Delpont, cole Nationale V©t©rinaire de Toulouse, France;

5.Nutritional strategies to boost immune response in poultry: M. T. Kidd, Center of Excellence for Poultry Science, University of Arkansas, USA; and P. F. Surai, Vitagene and Health Research Center, UK, Moscow State Academy of Veterinary Medicine and Biotechnology named after K.I. Skryabin, Russia, Trakia University, Bulgaria, Szent Istvan University, Hungary and Saint-Petersburg State Academy of Veterinary Medicine, Russia;

6.Developments in vaccines to protect poultry against diseases: Yongxiu Yao and Venugopal Nair, Viral Oncogenesis Group - Pirbright Institute, UK;

Part 3 Optimising health at differing stages in poultry production

7.Incubation and chick health: Ron Meijerhof, Poultry Performance Plus, The Netherlands;

8.Optimizing the health of poultry broilers: Edgar Orlando Oviedo-Rond³n, North Carolina State University, USA;

9.Optimizing the health of poultry layers: Yuko Sato, Iowa State University, USA;

10.Optimizing the health of poultry breeder birds: Rick van Emous, Wageningen Livestock Research, The Netherlands; and Andr© Steentjes, Veterinary Centre Someren, The Netherlands;