Greifswald, 02 November 2017. From November 1 to 3, 2017 the 1st International Conference on Respiratory Pathogens (ICoRP) will be held in Rostock. The conference is organized jointly by the University Greifswald and the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, on the Isle of Riems. Participants are the Research Training Group 1870 „Bacterial Respiratory Infections“ together with SFB/Transregio 34 „Pathophysiology of staphylococci in the post-genomic era “ and the Federal Excellence Initiative Project "KoInfekt" of the state Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.
Bacteria and viruses create complex microbial communities in the upper respiratory tract. Harmless natural microorganisms live in harmony with potentially dangerous bacteria and viruses and usually do not cause any symptoms of disease. However, novel pathogens or immunodeficiencies may lead to severe infections which are responsible for high morbidity and mortality rates worldwide. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that Influenza A viruses and pneumococcal infections alone cause 1 to 1.5 million cases of death every year.
A previous or simultaneous respiratory infection caused by viruses or bacteria may favor a secondary bacterial or viral co-infection. Increasing antibiotic resistances of bacteria, inefficient vaccines or a complete lack of vaccines require novel control strategies. To develop such strategies it is essential to understand the biology of the pathogens and the pathogenesis of respiratory diseases.
The international conference takes a closer look at current research on viral and bacterial respiratory (co )infections, e.g. caused by Influenza A viruses, pneumococci and staphylococci. Experts and young scientists from Germany, France, Great Britain, Canada, Sweden, and the USA provide insights into their research on virulence strategies, co-infections, infection immunology, therapies and vaccines, as well as technologies used in infection research.
Contact at the University Greifswald
Prof. Dr. Sven Hammerschmidt
Dr. Sylvia Kohler (Scientific coordinator GRK 1870 / KoInfekt)
Telephone 49 (0) 3834 420 5700
sven.hammerschmidt@~@uni-greifswald.de
Contact at the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut
Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Thomas C. Mettenleiter
Dr. Bianca M. Bußmann
Telephone +49 (0) 38351 7 1244
ThomasC.Mettenleiter@~@fli.de
