Anti infective

Highlights of the 9th WSPID congress

The 9th World Congress on Pediatric Infectious Diseases, organised by the World Society for Pediatric Infectious Diseases (WSPID), was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 18–21 November 2015. Around 2,000 specialists in paediatric and infectious diseases attended the event. 1This biannual congress is the largest of its kind, and provides a forum for specialists worldwide to share and receive the latest information on the treatment and prevention of infectious diseases in children. 1

Highlights of the 2015 congress included:

Managing pneumonia

In a WSPID Symposium on the management of pneumonia, Yossef Av-Gay discussed inflammation in immune subversion in pneumonia, with a focus on the use of nitric oxide compared with other anti-inflammatory agents in the management of pneumonia. 23Next, Anthony Scott delivered a talk entitled ‘Can etiological diagnosis of pneumonia be improved?’ 2 and Xavier Sáez-Llorens discussed the management of pneumonia in the era of bacterial conjugate vaccines. 4

Antimicrobial resistance and stewardship

This WSPID Symposium opened with a presentation by Mike Sharland, who focussed on the challenges of treating multidrug-resistant pathogens in children. 5Theoklis Zaoutis discussed how antimicrobial stewardship strategies can be implemented in paediatrics. 5The session concluded with a presentation from John Bradley, who discussed the development of new antibiotics for the treatment of paediatric infections. New antibiotics for gram-positive infections have recently completed paediatric clinical studies and are expected to be submitted to regulatory agencies soon. Paediatric clinical trials for new gram-negative antibiotics are now beginning. 6

Antibiotic use- recommendations and policies

This Society Symposium discussed recommendations and policies for antibiotic use. 7Mike Sharland provided an overview on the Global Antimicrobial Resistance, Prescribing, and Efficacy Among Neonates and Children (GARPEC) study, which was officially launched during the congress. 7 8

Marco Aurelio Safadi updated the audience on the latest news on resistance in community-acquired infections in Latin America. 7Finally, Andre Ricardo da Silva discussed the antibiotic treatment of multiresistant bacterial infections, and the options that are available for the different types of infection. 9

Respiratory infections

Another WSPID Symposium focussed on the link between respiratory infections, the microbiome and the innate immune response, and the implications for recurrent wheezing and astma. 10The symposium was opened by Asuncion Mejias with a presentation on the innate immune response to respiratory syncytial virus and disease severity, including the implications for the development of vaccines. 10Debby Bogaert then presented findings from infant cohort studies on the development of the microbiota in infants, and how the micobiota is related to the environment, health and respiratory infections. 11Additionally, evidence for modulation of the host immune response to acute viral infections by respiratory microbiota was presented. 11To close the session, Renato Stein discussed the implications of respiratory viruses, genes and the environment for the origins of asthma. 10

Preventing mortality due to pneumonia

In a WSPID World Lecture, Keith Klugman discussed strategies for the prevention of mortality due to pneumonia in children. 12In this lecture, Dr Klugman discussed the benefits and constraints of pneumonia vaccination of children, in addition to the development of strategies for maternal immunisation. 12

Reference list

1. WSPID 2015. [Online]. Accessed 26 October 2015.
   
2. WSPID Symposium. Management of pneumonia: changing epidemiology/ancillary treatment/diagnosis. WSPID 2015.
   
3. Av-Gay Y, Greenberg D, Tal A. Inflammation and immune subversion in pneumonia – what should clinicians know? WSPID 2015.
   
4. Sáez-Llorens X. Management of pneumonia in the era of bacterial conjugate vaccines. WSPID 2015.
   
5. WSPID Symposium. Combating antimicrobial resistance and antimicrobial stewardship. WSPID 2015.
   
6. Bradley J. Development of new antibiotics: translating discovery into care – what the future beholds. WSPID 2015.
   
7. Society Symposium. Recommendations and policies for antibiotic use – session in collaboration with the Brazilian Society. WSPID 2015.
   
8. GARPEC. Global Antimicrobial Resistance, Prescribing, and Efficacy Among Neonates and Children. [Online]. Accessed 28 October 2015.
   
9. da Silva A. Antibiotic treatment of multi resistant bacterial infections. WSPID 2015.
   
10. WSPID Symposium. Respiratory infections, the microbiome, and innate immunity: implications for recurrent wheezing and asthma. WSPID 2015.
    
11. Bogaert D. Microbial ecology: key to respiratory infections and inflammation? WSPID 2015.
    
12. Klugman KP. Prevention of pneumonia mortality in children. WSPID 2015.