From 17 to 19 September 2025, Porto hosted the 9th Scientific Meeting of the Portuguese Society of Travel Medicine (SPMV), the 7th Workshop on Vaccines for Travellers, and the 1st Atlantic-Mediterranean International Forum of Travel Medicine Societies, which gathered representatives from Portugal, Spain, France, and Italy.
This year’s event also celebrated the 10th anniversary of SPMV, founded by Doctors Jorge Atouguia, Cláudia Conceição, Filomena Martins Pereira, Luís Varandas, Rosa Teodósio, and Jorge Seixas, all of which Researchers from IHC-GHTM Research Group.
The GHTM | IHMT NOVA and the Travel Medicine Clinic of the Association for the Development of Tropical Medicine (ADMT) had a strong presence at the event — and received the award for the Best Oral Presentation, for a study conducted in collaboration with the Local Health Unit of Braga.
Participation Highlights
- Cláudia Conceição presented “Cholera in the 21st Century: the real risk for travellers and VFRs” at the 7th International Vaccine Workshop.
- Jorge Seixas presented “Neglected Tropical Diseases – an invisible threat to those who explore the world”.
- Márcia Medeiros presented “Cholera in the 21st Century: the real risk for travellers and VFRs”.
IHC-GHTM Researcher Márcia Medeiros also participated as last author in the following studies:
- Poster: “Association between sickle cell trait and Plasmodium falciparum infection: Evidence for Age-Specific Protection in a Cross-Sectional Study in Guinea-Bissau”, by Ronise Silva (VBD-GHTM), Amabelia Rodrigues, Ana Paula Arez (VBD-GHTM), and Márcia M. Medeiros — results from the SUBFAM project.
- Oral presentation: “Failure of artemisinin-based combination therapy in conjunction with a mutant Plasmodium falciparum kelch13 parasite and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a brief report”, presented by Raquel Azevedo, in collaboration with the Local Health Unit of Braga — which received the Best Oral Presentation Award.
The award-winning study described a clinical case of artemisinin combination therapy failure in Portugal, linked to a new mutation in the pfkelch13 gene, often associated with antimalarial drug resistance. This research highlights the valuable collaboration between IHMT NOVA and the Local Health Unit of Braga in advancing knowledge on tropical and travel medicine.
By participating in this international meeting, GHTM | IHMT NOVA and ADMT reaffirm their commitment to scientific excellence, education, and high-quality healthcare, contributing to the advancement of research and to the strengthening of international scientific cooperation.