FIPARS.12 | Field Parasitology in the Danube Delta

Between 23 and 31 July 2026, our team organised the 12th edition of the Field Parasitology International Summer School – FIPARS.12, held in Chilia Veche, Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve, Romania.

FIPARS is an international training programme dedicated to students and young professionals in veterinary medicine, biomedical sciences, biology, ecology and medical anthropology. Since 2023, Parasitology Consultancy Group has been part of the organising consortium together with partners from the Czech Republic.

The 2026 edition followed the traditional FIPARS concept: learning parasitology almost entirely through field-based practical work. After meeting in Tulcea, participants travelled by public boat to Chilia Veche, established the field camp and spent six full days working in small groups in the unique ecological setting of the Danube Delta.

Training combined field sampling, parasite and vector collection, host examination, identification techniques, epidemiological observations and discussions on the ecology and transmission of parasitic diseases. The programme was delivered by internationally recognised specialists and was designed to expose participants to the complete process from field observation and sample collection to scientific interpretation.

The Danube Delta provides an exceptional natural classroom for this type of training. Its high biodiversity, complex aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems and close interface between wildlife, domestic animals and local communities allow parasitology to be approached in its real ecological and epidemiological context.

FIPARS has been organised in the Danube Delta since 2011, continuing an earlier tradition of national field parasitology summer schools held in the region between 2004 and 2008. The programme has developed into one of our longest-running international training activities, built around a simple principle: parasitology is best understood in the field.