IDWeek 2015: What to Expect


Hello. I'm Paul Auwaerter with Medscape Infectious Diseases. The biggest meeting of the year for infectious diseases clinicians and researchers is going to be in October: IDWeek 2015 in San Diego. The program is a treasure trove of information. I thought I'd talk about a few highlights that impressed me as I looked over the program, which has been thoughtfully put together by the program committee and chairs, including James Hughes, Charles Huskins, Constance Benson, and Ravi Jhaveri.

No doubt, a year ago most of us were fixated on the Ebola crisis in West Africa. Things have improved over the past year. I think this meeting will certainly serve as an opportunity to review not only what is happening currently but the lessons learned over the past year, some of the science that has been developed, and the potential for future interventions, both therapeutic and preventive in the form of vaccines. In fact, Ebola has taken the throne this year with a dedicated plenary session. A highlight will be a talk by Ian Crozier, who is on the frontlines as a treating physician and who also contracted the infection and survived. He will have quite a story to tell. I think many people will be looking forward to that session as a highlight.

Other important aspects reflect some of the challenges here in our field. One is how infectious diseases physicians are helping to sort through some of the regulatory aspects of performance measures, including central line-associated bloodstream infections and catheter-related urinary tract infections, as well as important aspects of stewardship and how policies could be potentially rolled out due to pressure from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services in the future. Given the relative dearth of new antimicrobials, stewardship may take on greater roles. Many sessions are related to the increasing difficulties of both recognizing and attempting to treat highly resistant gram-negative pathogens.

Of course, there are more new anti-infectives than even a few years ago due to new regulations and policies by the US Food and Drug Administration, which is an important attribute. A number of sessions are devoted to new anti-infectives, both antibacterials and antifungals.

The measles outbreak focused renewed attention on vaccines from a public-policy perspective, with landmark legislation in California mimicking several other states in terms of how they will handle requests [to refuse or postpone] immunizations. I think the entire vaccine issue is something that is taking on some importance in terms of protecting public health. A nod will also be given to how the meningitis B vaccine may or may not be incorporated into the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommendations and other regulations.

Hepatitis C has been an amazing story, especially over the past year (plus) with the release of highly active medications against this virus, leading to a durable and long-term cure. Sessions have always been dedicated to hepatitis C, but I think that the ability to access these medications, as well as attendant costs and how this is being handled in our healthcare system, are also of great importance to our profession. There is a nod to these aspects in a session headed by Susanna Naggie and Brian Edlin later in the program.

Clostridium difficile is something that so many clinicians have to deal with, especially for hospitalized patients. Two items that caught my attention were a pro-and-con debate on whether fecal microbiome transplant therapy should be first-line treatment, with Thomas Moore taking the pro position and Johan Bakken taking the con position. The Kass lecture will be given by Karen Carroll. She will give a perspective on C difficile diagnostics, how they've evolved, and how they've improved today, with a view toward future refinements in detecting this important pathogen.

I think the program is certainly replete, with interest to many. One of the features that I've always enjoyed is an interactive tool section that will allow you to help develop the sessions that you would like to see in an organized fashion rather than carrying around a book. There is also a mobile application.

I look forward to seeing many of you at IDWeek and having a great conference with lots to learn. Thanks for listening.