COVID-19 may be the biggest infectious diseases story this year, but it is far from the only one at the virtual IDWeek conference that begins this week.
Diagnostics, global health, infection prevention, antibiotic stewardship, and medical education will still feature prominently at the annual event, conference co-chairs told MedPage Today.
IDWeek, the joint annual meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America, the HIV Medicine Association, the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society, and the Society of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists, will indeed spotlight COVID-19, however. First up is “Chasing the Sun,” a 24-hour event devoted to the pandemic that begins Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. EDT and ends at the same time Thursday.
“‘Chasing the Sun’ is really a unique, perhaps once-in-a-generational event that is packed with leaders from across the world providing COVID-19 learnings and perspectives on where we’re headed next,” said IDWeek chair Tom Talbot, MD, of Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville.
This event will kick off with a speech by Anthony Fauci, MD, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases director. Talbot noted the event will also highlight “the robust scientific discovery that is actively occurring on all fronts of the globe,” meaning there will be sessions throughout the day and all throughout the night.
“Stock up on your caffeinated beverage of choice, find a comfortable chair, and try to catch as much as possible,” Talbot said.
While the conference won’t have in-person attendance, it will retain some familiar aspects, just in a new format.
“The Bug Bowl — a perennial favorite — will become virtual trivia,” said IDWeek co-chair Virginia Triant, MD, of Harvard Medical School in Boston. “Ample opportunities for communication will continue to be present; many posters will have question and answer functionality and there will be opportunities for virtual networking.”
While Triant said COVID-19 content will also be integrated into and added into the standard IDWeek programming, there are plenty of lectures focusing on other important areas of infectious diseases.
“As usual, our named and award lectures bring recognition and expert teaching from leaders in the field,” Talbot said, and they will speak on a variety of topics.
He highlighted Judith Feinberg, MD, of West Virginia University School of Medicine, who is scheduled to give the Edward H. Kass Lecture on Thursday morning, which will focus on perspectives on HIV and health policy. This will be followed immediately by the John F. Enders lecture from Anna Wald, MD, of University of Washington, entitled “Developing Vaccines for Old and New Pathogens.”
Other notable topics covered in lectures range from pediatric malaria to Staphylococcal infections to academic ID practice, Talbot said.
IDWeek’s closing plenary on Sunday will recognize the 40th anniversary since the eradication of smallpox, and will be given by former CDC Director Jeffrey Koplan, MD, and Walter Orenstein, MD, of Emory University.
“The overarching theme is bringing together experts to discuss the latest scientific advances that have the potential to inform and improve clinical infectious diseases practice,” said Triant. “IDWeek spans all areas of infectious disease.”
Source: MedicalNewsToday.com
