Infectious Diseases and HIV Conference

Indeed, respiratory infections with pneumonia, bronchitis, and lung abscesses put a tremendous burden on healthcare around the world. Most patients who suffer from these respiratory infections suffer from comorbid conditions or are immunocompromised.

This session will discuss diagnosis, management, and emerging therapeutic approaches for these respiratory infections. Because pulmonary infections can be caused by such a wide variety of pathogens, it gives rise to entities like CAP, HAP, bronchitis, and even other fungal lung infections like aspergillosis.

The session will outline some of the etiologies and illustrate risk factors that lead to susceptibility to more severe infections, which may include COPD, asthma, and immunosuppression. General symptoms which are found associated with both the pulmonary and chest infections include cough, fever, chest pain, and shortness of breath.

The students will discuss the various diagnostic modalities the different types of pathogens that may be involved by using imaging as represented by chest X-ray and CT scans and laboratory findings such as sputum cultures, PCR, and antigen detection.

The session will present challenges on differential diagnosis between cause-related bacterial, viral, and fungal causes of respiratory symptoms as guided by appropriate treatment approaches. Effective management and treatment of pulmonary infections and chest infections include antimicrobial therapy, supportive care, and in some cases, surgery.

Selection principles for antimicrobials in treating bacterial infection, antiviral agents for viral causes, and antifungal treatment in fungal lung infection will be discussed. Special considerations in patient management with pre-existing conditions as well as adjunctive therapies such as the use of corticosteroids in more severe illnesses will be reviewed.

A role for inhaled therapies, whereby the direct delivery to the lung tissue, also will be discussed. New therapeutic approaches are currently under development for pulmonary infections, including monoclonal antibodies, novel antimicrobials, and host-directed therapies.

The session summarizes recent advances in research into the use of inhaled antiviral treatments and vaccines targeting the respiratory pathogens influenza and respiratory syncytial virus.

Prevention can be achieved through vaccination, smoking cessation, and infection control practices within healthcare facilities.

Join us for in-depth sessions with world leaders to discuss the intricacies of pulmonary and chest infections in order to improve diagnostics, treatment, and prevention strategies all the better to target the global burden of respiratory diseases.