LeishVet UP! 2026: The Latest Advances in Canine and Feline Leishmaniosis

Leishmaniosis continues to be an important challenge for veterinary medicine, with evolving patterns of infection, new diagnostic approaches and ongoing developments in treatment and prevention. This October, LeishVet UP! 2026 will bring together leading experts in the field to explore the latest knowledge and practical advances in canine and feline leishmaniosis.

Taking place on 16–17 October 2026, the two-day programme is designed specifically as an update for veterinary practitioners. The scientific programme brings together specialists from across the LeishVet Group to address some of the most relevant questions facing clinicians today.

From epidemiology to clinical disease

The programme opens by looking at how our understanding of leishmaniosis is changing. Patrick Bourdeau will discuss the evolution of epidemiological concepts and ideas, while Tina Kotnik and Katja Adam will focus on canine leishmaniosis in the Balkans.

Understanding where and how the disease is evolving is essential for clinicians, particularly as geographical patterns and risk factors continue to attract attention.

The programme then moves from infection to disease, with Laura Ordeix and Laia Solano-Gallego examining canine leishmaniosis from the initial infection through to clinical disease.

The focus is not limited to dogs. Feline leishmaniosis will also receive dedicated attention, highlighting an area that remains less understood than its canine counterpart.

Getting the diagnosis right

Accurate diagnosis is one of the most important elements in managing leishmaniosis, and the LeishVet UP! programme places considerable emphasis on this subject.

Luis Cardoso and Gad Baneth will explore “Diagnosis: discovering the right approach”, while a later session will examine the interpretation of serology versus PCR in dogs and cats.

The programme will also look towards the future, with a session on new biomarkers and their potential role as a new frontier in diagnosis and patient follow-up.

These topics reflect an increasingly important principle in clinical practice: diagnosing leishmaniosis is not simply about obtaining a positive or negative test result. Interpretation needs to take into account the individual patient, the clinical picture and the diagnostic method being used.

Treatment: beyond simply prescribing drugs

Treatment is another major theme of LeishVet UP! 2026.

Guadalupe Miró and Gaetano Oliva will address the important message that treatment is “not a simple drugs’ administration.” The programme will subsequently explore treatment and drug resistance, with Gad Baneth and Guadalupe Miró discussing novel aspects of this growing concern.

For practitioners, this is particularly relevant as effective management of leishmaniosis involves more than selecting a medication. Clinical assessment, monitoring, follow-up and consideration of emerging resistance all form part of responsible disease management.

Prevention: repellents, vaccines and what’s new

Prevention will also take centre stage.

A dedicated session led by Guadalupe Miró and Gaetano Oliva will compare repellents and vaccines, asking an increasingly relevant question: what’s new in leishmaniosis prevention?

Preventive strategies are particularly important in areas where dogs and cats may be exposed to the vectors responsible for transmission. Keeping up with developments in prevention can therefore help veterinary teams provide more comprehensive advice to owners.

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Looking beyond the typical clinical case

The second day of LeishVet UP! 2026 broadens the discussion to some of the more complex aspects of the disease.

The programme includes sessions on uncommon clinical presentations in dogs, coinfections, and canine leishmaniosis associated with immune-mediated conditions. These topics are important because real-world patients do not always present according to the textbook.

The ability to recognise unusual presentations and understand possible interactions with other diseases can be crucial when investigating a complex case.

Feline leishmaniosis gets greater attention

Feline leishmaniosis features repeatedly throughout the programme, reflecting growing interest in the disease in cats.

Sessions will address feline leishmaniosis as well as the LeishVet clinical staging approach for cats, with further discussion of diagnosis through serology and PCR.

For veterinary professionals working with feline patients, these sessions offer an opportunity to explore a disease that can be more difficult to recognise and interpret in clinical practice.

The role of public health

Leishmania is not only a veterinary concern. The programme also includes a session dedicated to canine and feline leishmaniosis and public-health considerations, presented by Gad Baneth and Patrick Bourdeau.

This broader perspective reinforces the importance of considering leishmaniosis within a One Health context, where animal health, human health and environmental factors are closely interconnected.

From lectures to real clinical cases

One of the highlights of the second day will be an interactive discussion of clinical cases with LeishVet members.

Rather than focusing exclusively on lectures, participants will have the opportunity to work through clinical cases, with case studies shared before the event. The session is scheduled for three hours, providing substantial time for discussion and practical learning.

This practical element is particularly valuable because it allows scientific knowledge to be connected directly to the decisions veterinarians make in everyday clinical practice.

A comprehensive update for veterinary practitioners

Across two days, LeishVet UP! 2026 will cover the disease from multiple perspectives: epidemiology, infection and disease progression, diagnosis, biomarkers, treatment, drug resistance, prevention, clinical staging, coinfections and public health.

The programme also brings together a broad group of LeishVet experts, including Guadalupe Miró, Patrick Bourdeau, Gaetano Oliva, Laia Solano-Gallego, Tina Kotnik, Gad Baneth, Luis Cardoso and Laura Ordeix.

For veterinary professionals who diagnose or manage leishmaniosis, or who want to stay current with developments in this rapidly evolving field, LeishVet UP! 2026 promises to be an important opportunity to update knowledge, discuss challenging cases and explore where the field is heading next.

LeishVet UP! 2026 takes place on 16–17 October 2026, with the scientific programme combining expert presentations, discussion sessions and interactive clinical case work.

View the full LeishVet UP! 2026 Scientific Programme

FAQs

What is LeishVet UP! 2026?
LeishVet UP! 2026 is a two-day scientific update for veterinary practitioners focusing on the latest developments in canine and feline leishmaniosis, including epidemiology, diagnosis, treatment, prevention and clinical management.

When does LeishVet UP! 2026 take place?
LeishVet UP! 2026 takes place on 16 and 17 October 2026.

What topics will be covered at LeishVet UP! 2026?
The programme covers epidemiology, disease progression, diagnosis, serology and PCR, biomarkers, treatment, drug resistance, prevention, clinical staging, coinfections, immune-mediated conditions and public health.

Does the programme cover feline leishmaniosis?
Yes. Feline leishmaniosis is covered in several sessions, including diagnosis, serology and PCR, and the LeishVet clinical staging approach for cats.

What will the programme cover about diagnosing leishmaniosis?
Experts will examine different diagnostic approaches, including the interpretation of serology and PCR in dogs and cats, as well as the potential role of new biomarkers in diagnosis and patient follow-up.

Will LeishVet UP! 2026 discuss treatment and drug resistance?
Yes. The programme includes sessions on the clinical management of leishmaniosis, treatment strategies and emerging concerns surrounding drug resistance.

What prevention strategies will be discussed?
The programme will examine current developments in leishmaniosis prevention, including the role of repellents and vaccines.

Will there be practical clinical cases?
Yes. The second day includes a three-hour interactive session in which participants will discuss clinical cases with members of the LeishVet Group.

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