1st International Symposium on Infection and Pulmonary vascular Diseases Aswan, Egypt

The First International Symposium on Infection and Pulmonary Vascular Diseases (iPVD) was held in Aswan, Egypt, on October 21-22, 2019. This multidisciplinary meeting brought together pulmonary vascular disease specialists, cardiologists, pulmonologists, immunologists, epidemiologists, parasitologists, and other infectious disease specialists to discuss the emerging issues of the role of infection on the pulmonary vasculature.

The symposium featured lectures, symposia, and discussion circles on a wide range of topics, including:

• The role of inflammation and immunology in pulmonary vascular diseases
• The effect of schistosomiasis and other helminthic infections on the pathogenesis and clinical aspects of pulmonary vascular diseases
• The effect of HIV on the pathogenesis and clinical aspects of pulmonary vascular diseases
• The effect of other bacterial infections on pulmonary vascular diseases
• The role of coinfection (e.g., schistosomiasis and HIV) on pulmonary vascular diseases
• The epidemiological aspects of infection and coinfection in Africa and other continents
• The emerging role of fungal infection on pulmonary vascular diseases
• The role of pharmacological intervention on infection and pulmonary vascular diseases
• The effect of drug abuse on the propagation of infection and pulmonary vascular diseases
• The social and economic aspects of the effect of infection on the pulmonary vasculature
• Public health issues related to infection and pulmonary vascular diseases
• Education and training infrastructure to deal with the role of infection and pulmonary vascular diseases

Discussion sessions on current and future research topics included:

• The pathological milieu of schistosomiasis
• The effect of HIV-schistosomiasis coinfection on pulmonary vascular diseases
• Epidemiological assessment of pulmonary hypertensions secondary to HIV, schistosomiasis, and coinfection in Africa, Asia, and South America
• The emerging role of fungal infection on pulmonary vascular diseases

The First International Symposium on Infection and Pulmonary Vascular Diseases was a valuable opportunity for researchers and clinicians from around the world to share knowledge and discuss the latest advances in this rapidly evolving field. The symposium also helped to raise awareness of the importance of infection in developing and progressing pulmonary vascular diseases.