2nd International Meeting on Respiratory Pathogens 2018

Respiratory pathogens result in a substantial burden of disease and costs to communities globally. They range from emerging and re-emerging diseases as avian influenza viruses, MERS-CoV, pertussis, tuberculosis, and antimicrobial resistant pathogens; to endemic diseases that result in high morbidity and severe cases with mortality.

Despite the impact of these diseases, substantial gaps remain in our understanding of their burden and epidemiology, the interactions between different pathogens, their immunology and pathogenicity, and how to diagnose and manage these diseases. There is also a lack of vaccine and therapeutic options that are urgently needed. Many of these research gaps have been identified by the World Health Organization’s Battle against Respiratory Viruses (BRaVe) initiative.

This meeting will focus on addressing these gaps through the sharing of recent advances in epidemiology, immunology, diagnostics, vaccines, and therapeutics and clinical management. A full day of parallel sessions will be devoted to providing updates for policymakers to increase their understanding of respiratory diseases and to allow for better research-policy interactions that will accelerate translationally research and open discussion on the next steps needed to reduce the burden of these diseases through research and policy initiatives.