Sessions & Tracks
Track 01. Emerging Viral Infections and Global Threats
Emerging viral infections continue to pose significant challenges to global health due to their unpredictable nature, rapid transmission, and potential for widespread outbreaks. Recent examples such as COVID-19, monkeypox, Zika virus, and Nipah virus have demonstrated how novel or re-emerging viruses can quickly evolve into international public health emergencies. This session will focus on identifying the virological, environmental, and societal factors that contribute to the emergence and re-emergence of viral pathogens.
Discussions will include the mechanisms of viral evolution and zoonotic spillover events, which often originate from wildlife or animal reservoirs and are exacerbated by factors such as urbanization, deforestation, and global travel. Experts will present updates on current surveillance systems and early warning networks that aim to detect new threats before they escalate. The session will also explore innovative vaccine technologies and antiviral therapies under development to combat these infections.
Case studies from recent outbreaks will be analyzed to assess lessons learned, gaps in response, and areas for improvement in global coordination. The session will further highlight the role of international health agencies, government bodies, and cross-sector collaboration in addressing these threats through timely data sharing, rapid diagnostics, and public health policy enforcement.
This session is particularly relevant for virologists, epidemiologists, clinicians, public health professionals, and researchers interested in emerging infections and outbreak preparedness. By promoting dialogue and research on global viral threats, the conference aims to contribute to a more robust and proactive global health system that can anticipate and effectively respond to future pandemics.
Tarck 02. Antimicrobial Resistance and Superbugs
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing global concern that threatens the effective treatment of bacterial, viral, parasitic, and fungal infections. The misuse and overuse of antibiotics in both healthcare and agriculture have led to the emergence of drug-resistant pathogens, commonly referred to as "superbugs." This session will explore the mechanisms by which microbes develop resistance, the clinical and economic impacts of AMR, and the strategies necessary to combat this critical issue.
Presentations will highlight global AMR surveillance efforts, antibiotic stewardship programs, and innovations in diagnostics that help in the timely identification of resistant infections. In addition, the session will discuss the development of new antimicrobial agents and alternative therapies such as bacteriophage therapy, antimicrobial peptides, and probiotics. International policies and collaborations aimed at reducing antimicrobial misuse will also be addressed.
Case studies will be presented from healthcare settings, particularly hospitals and long-term care facilities, where AMR is often most prevalent. Special attention will be given to multidrug-resistant organisms such as Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), and extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) producing bacteria.
This session is vital for infectious disease specialists, microbiologists, pharmacists, hospital administrators, and policymakers. It aims to foster a collaborative environment for discussing comprehensive approaches to prevent and control the spread of antimicrobial resistance at local, national, and global levels.
Track 03. Zoonotic and Vector-Borne Diseases
Zoonotic and vector-borne diseases represent a significant portion of the global infectious disease burden. Diseases such as malaria, dengue, chikungunya, Lyme disease, and rabies are transmitted through vectors like mosquitoes and ticks or directly from animals to humans. This session focuses on the complex interplay between human, animal, and environmental health in the transmission of zoonotic pathogens.
Key topics include the biology and ecology of disease vectors, host-pathogen interactions, and risk factors for transmission. Discussions will cover surveillance systems, vector control strategies, and community-based interventions aimed at reducing exposure. Advances in vaccine development, diagnostics, and treatment options for these diseases will also be explored.
Case studies from endemic and outbreak regions will illustrate the challenges and successes in managing these diseases. The role of climate change, land use, and biodiversity loss in the emergence and re-emergence of zoonotic infections will also be examined. Interdisciplinary collaboration under the One Health framework will be emphasized.
This session is particularly important for epidemiologists, entomologists, veterinarians, public health workers, and researchers involved in tropical medicine and infectious disease control. It aims to build awareness and promote integrated approaches to address the rising threats of zoonotic and vector-borne diseases globally.
Track 04. Vaccine Research and Development
Vaccines remain one of the most effective tools in preventing infectious diseases and safeguarding global health. This session will provide insights into the latest advancements in vaccine research and development, including novel platforms such as mRNA, viral vectors, and nanoparticle-based vaccines. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated vaccine innovation, offering valuable lessons for future vaccine strategies.
Topics of discussion will include vaccine design, clinical trial phases, regulatory challenges, and distribution logistics. Special attention will be given to vaccines for high-burden diseases such as influenza, tuberculosis, HIV, and newly emerging pathogens. The role of public-private partnerships and global initiatives like Gavi and CEPI in supporting vaccine equity and access will also be highlighted.
Presentations will explore the challenges in achieving vaccine coverage, including public trust, misinformation, and vaccine hesitancy. Strategies for enhancing immunization programs, especially in low- and middle-income countries, will be shared. Advances in thermostable vaccines and needle-free delivery systems will also be reviewed.
This session is relevant for immunologists, vaccinologists, pharmaceutical scientists, regulatory authorities, and global health professionals. It aims to foster collaboration and innovation in developing safe, effective, and accessible vaccines for all.
Track 05. Diagnostic Tools and Molecular Testing
Accurate and timely diagnosis is essential for effective treatment and containment of infectious diseases. This session will highlight the latest advancements in diagnostic technologies, including molecular assays, point-of-care tests, and biosensor platforms. With the increasing demand for rapid, sensitive, and specific diagnostic methods, innovations such as CRISPR-based detection, nucleic acid amplification techniques, and digital PCR are revolutionizing the diagnostic landscape.
Participants will gain insights into how diagnostic tools are deployed in outbreak settings, hospitals, and resource-limited environments. The session will also address the integration of diagnostics into public health surveillance and how real-time data can inform outbreak response and policy decisions. Topics will include multiplex testing, resistance gene detection, and next-generation sequencing for pathogen identification and genomic surveillance.
Case studies will demonstrate the role of diagnostics in managing diseases such as COVID-19, tuberculosis, malaria, and sexually transmitted infections. The importance of regulatory standards, quality control, and access to diagnostics in underserved regions will be explored.
This session is ideal for clinical microbiologists, laboratory scientists, diagnostic developers, healthcare providers, and public health officials interested in the evolving field of infectious disease diagnostics and molecular epidemiology.
Track 06. Pandemic Preparedness and Response Strategies
The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the need for comprehensive and coordinated preparedness strategies at the local, national, and global levels. This session will examine lessons learned from recent pandemics and discuss frameworks for improving future responses. Key components include surveillance systems, emergency response infrastructure, risk communication, and community engagement.
Presentations will highlight preparedness planning models, simulation exercises, and the role of global health organizations such as WHO and CDC in coordinating responses. Special focus will be given to the integration of technology, such as digital contact tracing, predictive modeling, and telehealth, into pandemic response frameworks.
The session will also explore challenges in supply chain management, healthcare workforce readiness, and maintaining essential health services during pandemics. Equity in access to healthcare, particularly for vulnerable populations, will be emphasized as a critical aspect of pandemic preparedness.
This session is relevant for public health professionals, policy makers, emergency response teams, healthcare administrators, and researchers. It aims to foster a proactive approach to pandemic risk reduction and resilience building in the face of future global health threats.
Track 07. Public Health Surveillance and Epidemiology
Effective surveillance systems and epidemiological research are the cornerstones of infectious disease prevention and control. This session will focus on methods and tools used to monitor disease patterns, identify outbreaks, and assess public health interventions. Topics include syndromic surveillance, sentinel monitoring, geospatial analysis, and the use of digital health data.
Speakers will present case studies demonstrating the role of surveillance in responding to diseases such as influenza, dengue, and foodborne illnesses. The integration of real-time data from healthcare facilities, laboratories, and mobile health platforms will be discussed as a means of enhancing early detection and response capabilities.
Challenges such as underreporting, data quality, and disparities in surveillance capacity across countries will be addressed. The session will also explore partnerships between governments, NGOs, and research institutions in strengthening global surveillance networks.
This session is suitable for epidemiologists, statisticians, data scientists, public health practitioners, and healthcare IT professionals interested in leveraging surveillance data for effective infectious disease control.
Track 08. Tropical and Neglected Infectious Diseases
Tropical and neglected infectious diseases (NTDs) disproportionately affect populations in low- and middle-income countries, often in remote or underserved areas. Diseases such as leishmaniasis, Chagas disease, schistosomiasis, and lymphatic filariasis continue to cause significant morbidity and mortality. This session will focus on the epidemiology, diagnosis, and control strategies for these diseases.
Topics include vector management, mass drug administration programs, and integrated disease management approaches. Recent advances in drug development, diagnostic tools, and vaccine research for NTDs will also be discussed. The role of international health organizations and donor agencies in combating these diseases through funding and technical assistance will be highlighted.
Case studies from endemic regions will provide insights into operational challenges and innovative community-based interventions. The session will also examine the intersection of NTDs with poverty, education, and social determinants of health.
This session is especially relevant for global health experts, infectious disease researchers, NGOs, tropical medicine practitioners, and public health workers aiming to reduce the burden of neglected diseases and improve health equity worldwide.
Track 09. Hospital-Acquired and Healthcare-Associated Infections
Hospital-acquired infections (HAIs), also known as healthcare-associated infections, are a major concern in clinical settings, contributing to increased morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs. This session will explore the causes, prevention, and management of HAIs, including infections caused by resistant bacteria, surgical site infections, catheter-associated infections, and ventilator-associated pneumonia.
Discussion topics will include infection control protocols, hand hygiene compliance, antimicrobial stewardship, and the role of hospital design in infection prevention. Presentations will also cover innovations in disinfection technologies, rapid diagnostics, and surveillance tools for monitoring infection rates.
Case studies from hospitals around the world will showcase successful intervention strategies and multidisciplinary approaches to reducing HAIs. Regulatory guidelines, accreditation standards, and the importance of training healthcare workers will also be highlighted.
This session is ideal for infection control specialists, hospital administrators, nurses, physicians, and quality improvement professionals committed to enhancing patient safety and reducing the burden of HAIs.
Track 10. Infection Prevention and Control Practices
Infection prevention and control (IPC) is fundamental to ensuring patient and healthcare worker safety in all healthcare settings. This session will focus on strategies and interventions to reduce the risk of transmission of infectious agents within hospitals, clinics, and community care settings. Key topics include hand hygiene, use of personal protective equipment (PPE), sterilization protocols, and environmental cleaning.
Participants will learn about best practices in IPC, based on guidelines from global health organizations such as WHO and CDC. The role of IPC programs in outbreak management, especially during pandemics or nosocomial outbreaks, will be emphasized. Presentations will cover behavioral and organizational factors influencing IPC adherence and discuss approaches for effective training and compliance monitoring.
The session will include success stories from hospitals that have significantly reduced infection rates through structured IPC programs. The importance of leadership, multidisciplinary teamwork, and continuous quality improvement in maintaining high IPC standards will be discussed.
This session is particularly valuable for infection control professionals, hospital staff, quality assurance teams, and public health officials committed to minimizing healthcare-associated infections and promoting safe clinical environments.
Track 11. Immunopathology of Infectious Diseases
Understanding the immune response to infectious agents is crucial for developing effective therapies and vaccines. This session will delve into the mechanisms of host-pathogen interactions and the immunological pathways activated during infections. Topics will include innate and adaptive immunity, cytokine storms, immune evasion by pathogens, and immunopathology in severe infections.
Experts will present findings on immune responses to viral, bacterial, parasitic, and fungal pathogens. Special focus will be given to immunological complications seen in emerging infections, such as multisystem inflammatory syndrome in COVID-19 and autoimmune sequelae in post-infectious syndromes.
Emerging therapies that modulate immune responses—such as monoclonal antibodies, immune checkpoint inhibitors, and immunomodulatory drugs—will also be discussed. The session will highlight the role of immunology in vaccine design and in predicting disease outcomes.
This session is ideal for immunologists, infectious disease researchers, clinicians, and pharmaceutical scientists interested in the intersection of infectious diseases and immune system dynamics.
Track 12. Global Travel and Infectious Disease Transmission
In today’s interconnected world, global travel significantly contributes to the spread of infectious diseases. This session will explore the impact of air travel, migration, tourism, and business travel on the dissemination of pathogens across borders. Case studies will include the global spread of COVID-19, Ebola, and other notable diseases linked to international mobility.
Discussion topics will include travel-related health risks, disease screening at points of entry, and international health regulations. Presenters will address the role of travel medicine, pre-travel consultations, and post-travel diagnostics in reducing disease transmission.
Technologies such as digital health passports, real-time tracking systems, and international data sharing platforms will be reviewed. The session will also highlight the importance of traveler education and coordinated response strategies in managing outbreaks with a travel-related component.
This session is designed for travel medicine specialists, public health officials, border control agencies, epidemiologists, and infectious disease professionals working on global health security and mobility.
Track 13. Pediatric and Geriatric Infectious Diseases
Infectious diseases can present unique challenges in both pediatric and geriatric populations due to their distinct physiological and immunological profiles. This session will focus on the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of infections in these age groups, including respiratory infections, gastrointestinal diseases, and vaccine-preventable conditions.
Topics will include immunization schedules, age-specific antibiotic dosing, and infection control in pediatric wards and elder care facilities. Presenters will discuss conditions such as neonatal sepsis, pediatric tuberculosis, and infections in immunocompromised children, as well as urinary tract infections, pneumonia, and antibiotic resistance in the elderly.
Case discussions will explore challenges in diagnosis due to atypical presentations, comorbidities, and limited immune response. The session will also cover the ethical and practical considerations in conducting clinical trials and research involving these vulnerable populations.
This session is highly relevant for pediatricians, geriatricians, infectious disease specialists, nurses, and caregivers involved in the care of young and elderly patients.
Track 14. One Health and Environmental Microbiology
The One Health approach recognizes the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health. This session will explore how environmental changes and human-animal interactions influence the emergence and spread of infectious diseases. Emphasis will be placed on microbial ecology, environmental reservoirs of pathogens, and the transmission dynamics across species.
Topics include waterborne and soil-transmitted infections, antimicrobial resistance in the environment, and zoonotic diseases influenced by agriculture and wildlife trade. Speakers will present integrated surveillance models that link human and veterinary health data to detect and prevent cross-species transmission events.
Case studies will demonstrate successful One Health interventions, including community-based programs and policy-level responses. The session will also highlight the role of climate change and deforestation in altering the ecology of infectious diseases.
This session is particularly suitable for environmental microbiologists, veterinarians, ecologists, public health officials, and researchers involved in interdisciplinary efforts to promote health at the human-animal-environment interface.
Track 15. Genomic Surveillance and Pathogen Evolution
Genomic surveillance is becoming an essential tool in the detection, tracking, and understanding of infectious disease outbreaks. By analyzing the genetic material of pathogens, researchers can uncover patterns of transmission, monitor for mutations, and identify variants with increased virulence or resistance. This session will focus on the latest developments in sequencing technologies, bioinformatics tools, and global collaborations that facilitate real-time genomic data sharing.
Discussions will highlight how genomic surveillance played a pivotal role in identifying and tracking SARS-CoV-2 variants, such as Delta and Omicron, and how similar strategies are being applied to other diseases like influenza, Ebola, and bacterial infections. The integration of genomic data into public health decision-making and its role in guiding vaccine updates and therapeutic strategies will be explored.
Speakers will also address challenges related to data privacy, infrastructure disparities, and the need for trained personnel in low-resource settings. Case studies will demonstrate the use of genomics in outbreak investigations and antimicrobial resistance surveillance.
This session is highly relevant for molecular biologists, geneticists, epidemiologists, bioinformaticians, and public health professionals interested in advancing the use of genomics in infectious disease monitoring and control.
Track 16. Emerging Fungal and Parasitic Infections
Fungal and parasitic infections are increasingly recognized as global health threats, particularly among immunocompromised populations and in regions with limited healthcare resources. This session will cover the epidemiology, diagnosis, and treatment of infections caused by organisms such as Candida auris, Aspergillus, Cryptococcus, Plasmodium, Trypanosoma, and Leishmania.
Discussions will include antifungal resistance trends, diagnostic challenges, and the development of novel antifungal and antiparasitic agents. Presenters will also address the impact of climate change, urbanization, and human migration on the spread of these infections.
Case reports and regional studies will provide insights into disease outbreaks and treatment protocols. Special focus will be placed on co-infections and the need for differential diagnosis in resource-limited settings.
This session is essential for medical mycologists, parasitologists, clinicians, laboratory scientists, and global health professionals working to address these often-neglected areas of infectious disease.
Track 17. Sexually Transmitted Infections and HIV/AIDS
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV/AIDS, remain a major global health issue. This session will address the epidemiology, prevention, and treatment of STIs such as syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, and human papillomavirus (HPV), alongside the ongoing fight against HIV/AIDS.
Topics include innovative testing strategies, behavioral interventions, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), antiretroviral therapy, and challenges in reaching high-risk populations. The session will also cover stigma reduction, community outreach, and integration of sexual health services into primary care.
New research on vaccine development and antimicrobial resistance in STIs will be presented. Case studies will highlight successful prevention programs and the role of public-private partnerships in STI control.
This session is designed for sexual health specialists, infectious disease clinicians, public health advocates, epidemiologists, and educators dedicated to reducing the burden of sexually transmitted infections.
Track 18. Role of Artificial Intelligence in Disease Surveillance
Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning are transforming the field of infectious disease surveillance and outbreak prediction. This session will examine how AI technologies are being applied to monitor disease trends, model epidemics, and support clinical decision-making.
Topics include natural language processing for outbreak detection, predictive analytics using health data, AI-assisted diagnostics, and ethical considerations in deploying automated tools in public health. The integration of AI with traditional surveillance systems and electronic health records will also be explored.
Case studies will demonstrate the use of AI in managing COVID-19, predicting dengue outbreaks, and improving diagnostic accuracy for diseases like tuberculosis and sepsis.
This session is valuable for data scientists, epidemiologists, health informaticians, policy makers, and healthcare providers seeking to leverage technology for more responsive and efficient infectious disease management.
Track 19. Bioterrorism and Biosecurity in Infectious Diseases
The deliberate release or misuse of infectious agents poses a serious threat to global security. This session will explore bioterrorism risks, historical case studies, and national and international frameworks designed to detect, prevent, and respond to biological threats.
Topics will include pathogen security, laboratory biosafety levels, risk assessment protocols, and early detection systems. Presenters will also address the dual-use dilemma in biological research and the role of intelligence and defense sectors in health security.
Case scenarios will illustrate emergency response planning and coordination among healthcare systems, military, and government agencies. The importance of public communication and transparency during bioterrorism events will be emphasized.
This session is especially relevant for biosecurity experts, emergency response coordinators, infectious disease specialists, and policymakers concerned with safeguarding public health from biological threats.
Track 20. Clinical Case Studies and Real-World Applications
Clinical case studies provide invaluable insights into the diagnosis, treatment, and management of infectious diseases. This session will feature real-world case reports from diverse healthcare settings, offering practical knowledge and highlighting challenges in clinical decision-making.
Topics will include rare infections, co-infections, diagnostic dilemmas, antimicrobial resistance, and treatment outcomes. Presenters will share lessons learned from complex cases involving immunocompromised patients, travelers, and individuals with comorbidities.
Interactive case discussions and Q&A sessions will encourage audience engagement and knowledge exchange. Emphasis will be placed on evidence-based approaches, multidisciplinary care, and the translation of clinical experiences into improved patient outcomes.
This session is ideal for clinicians, infectious disease specialists, medical educators, students, and healthcare professionals seeking applied knowledge and peer learning opportunities in infectious disease care.