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Q: As Secretary of Assembly 10, what are you most looking forward to about this year’s ERS Congress?
I really look forward to the many and diverse sessions on respiratory infections at this year’s ERS Congress. There will be a broad range of topics, covering not only most clinical aspects from our assembly but also includes pre-clinical topics, such as antimicrobial resistance and the use of new and rapid diagnostic tests to detect this resistance, and the prevention of infections by discussing the horizon of vaccines. I am particularly looking forward to the Lungs on Fire session for respiratory infections, which will discuss clinical cases from the field.
Q: What in your opinion will be the hot topics for respiratory infections?
Sticking close to the Congress theme this year, I’m looking forward to the expert interview on digital innovations in tuberculosis control as TB is still the most prevalent infectious disease worldwide. Also the session on TB prevention and care in the face of major adversities is very interesting, as the prevention and care of many respiratory infections probably face the same challenges.
Q: Tell us your top three picks from the Congress programme?
1. State of the art session – Respiratory infections: pulmonary aspergillosis
Sunday, 8 September, 08:30–10:00 CEST
This subject is gaining more and more attention, among both clinicians and researchers. I think that this session will teach us a lot on new developments in aspergillus, both clinical and research.
2. Guidelines session – Advances in short regimens for treating drug-susceptible and drug resistant tuberculosis
Sunday, 8 September, 14:30–15:15 CEST
In recent years there have finally been developments in TB treatment, which have changed TB treatment quite a lot. There are new anti TB drugs, but also studies showing that treatment duration for drug-susceptible TB can be shortened to four months, and for drug-resistant TB to six months.
3. Symposium – Cystic fibrosis beyond cystic fibrosis: recent advances and new perspectives
Tuesday, 10 September, 13:45–15:15 CEST
CFTR modulators have changed the landscape for persons with cystic fibrosis completely. In recent years CFTR modulators have become a standard therapy in many countries, so we can learn from real-world experiences and data. However, as these modulators are quite expensive, there is still health inequity among the world which will be addressed as well.