Infectious Diseases and HIV Conference

Genetic changes in viruses are at the forefront of their biology, greatly affecting viral behavior, pathogenicity, and public health intervention effectiveness.

This session will address mechanisms underlying these genetic changes and their consequences for the evolution of viruses and management and control of disease. Viruses undergo genetic changes through several mechanisms-mutations, recombination, and assortment.

The present session will give an overview of the said processes and how they contribute to viral diversity and adaptation. The participants will learn about the roles of error-prone replication, selective pressures, and environmental factors driving genetic variation among viral populations.

These genetic changes in viruses may impose alterations on virulence, the dynamic of transmission, and host immune evasion. In this session, some exemplary instances would be discussed-the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern that have been shown to have increased transmissibility and potential resistance to neutralization by antibodies. Insights will be gleaned on how these genetic changes impact on the severity of disease, complicating efforts at treatment and prevention.

Their implications to surveillance, vaccine development, and therapeutic strategy are critical to effective public health responses. Participants will understand the importance of genomic monitoring in uncovering new variants and their possible impact on vaccines. Furthermore, it would touch on issues related to antiviral resistance based on genetic change and call for continuous research and adaptation of treatment protocols.

Control through Multi-angled Approaches: The control of diseases by genetically diverse viruses requires a multi-faceted approach. This session would outline strategies for the control of viral genetic changes, with examples of broad-spectrum antivirals, up gradation of vaccines in the face of emergent variants, and public health communication in shaping and bringing the behavior of the public during an outbreak into perspective.

This would lead to discussion on future directions and research to be followed into viral genetics in the wake of developments in sequencing technologies as also application of artificial intelligence in predicting evolution of viruses besides new therapeutic approaches based on understanding viral genetics.

It will enable participants to understand what kind of a collaborative effort is necessary to be set up in setting the path of alleviation of challenges arising from genetic changes in viruses and their implications for global health.