Opening of the First International Congress of WAidid, World Association for Infectious Diseases and Immunological Disorders

MILAN, February 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Over 600 physicians from Italy and abroad are expected at the 1st International Congress of WAidid, an important occasion to discuss the most recent developments on infectious, allergic and immunologic diseases affecting children and adults.   

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Emerging pathogens such as Zika; the meningitis outbreak in Italy and Europe; tuberculosis, a disease that remains a threat; the importance of vaccines, not only for children, but at all ages; vaccination for chronically ill patients: these are just some of the topics that will be debated at the 1st International Congress of the World Association for Infectious Diseases and Immunological Disorders (http://www.waidid.org) that is being held in Milan and will end tomorrow, February 20th.

"I am pleased to see colleagues and friends who, like me, supported the foundation of WAidid," claims Professor Susanna Esposito, president of WAidid. " During these three days we will examine themes of great interest, such as emerging pathogens like the virus Zika, that is rapidly spreading in several countries; the meningitis alert; tuberculosis, a re-emerging disease; the new European guidelines for the vaccination of adults and older people; vaccines for chronically ill patients which will be the theme of the talk show closing the works of the Congress."

During the opening press conference of the Congress, some of the major international experts in the fields of infectious diseases, pneumology, allergology, rheumatology and autoimmune diseases announced the most significant speeches to be presented at the convention:

Francesco Blasi, Professor and Director of Respiratory Medicine, University of Milan, IRCCS Ca' Granda Foundation Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, University of Milan, Italy

Kathryn Edwards, Professor of Pediatrics, Sarah H. Sell and Cornelius Vanderbilt Chair in Pediatrics, Nashville, VA, USA

Susanna Esposito, Congress President; Professor of Pediatrics, University of Milan, IRCCS Ca' Granda Foundation Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Italy

Ivan Hung, Clinical Associate Professor and Honorary Consultant, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China

Irja Lutsar, Professor in Medical Microbiology at the University of Tartu, Tallin, Estonia   

Giovanni Battista Migliori, Secretary General of ERS (European Respiratory Society)

Miguel O'Ryan, Professor at the Microbiology and Mycology, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile

Albert Osterhaus, Professor of Wildlife Virology and Virus Discovery at Utrecht University, Utrecht, Germany 

Yehuda Shoenfeld, Head of the Zabludowicz Center for Autoimmune Diseases, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel   

Tina Tan, Professor of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA