About Us

Head: Francesco Blasi
Secretary: Roberto Cosentini

Issues such as the role of infections in the development of the immune response, viral infections and airway diseases, tuberculosis control, bacterial antibiotic resistance, infectious complications of immune suppression and many others have generated huge interest in infection. This is the youngest ERS Assembly, as in 1997 the group separated from the Clinical Assembly and became independent. Members of the Respiratory Infection Group collaborate successfully with many other Scientific Groups of the ERS as infection is represented in other Assemblies. The Tuberculosis Group is the historical core of lung medicine and attracts many scientists and clinicians from Eastern European countries. This new structure appears to be extremely successful and this new Assembly is already mature.

---

Group 10.01 Respiratory Infections

Chair: Wim G. Boersma
Secretary: Marc Miravitlles

Over the past 3 years, respiratory viral infection has been a major topic for debate at ERS meetings. This subject remains important, considering the development of avian flu. Another important topic is "The guidelines for the management of lower respiratory tract infections", which was published in the December 2005 issue of the ERJ. What do we do with these guidelines? Is it just a piece of paper or is it a practical document for use in clinical practice? A survey on this issue might be a valuable tool. Severity assessment of community-acquired pneumonia remains one of the important topics of future years. What is the best way to score severity in a hospital setting? This is a hot topic for debate. The exacerbation of COPD represents another topic that clinicians often struggle with. The interaction between viral and bacterial infections, the mechanisms of inflammation and how to prevent new exacerbations are material for research and new symposia. We will facilitate all kinds of initiatives in the fields of education and research. As new Chair, I invite all members of the ERS to join our Group.

---

Group 10.02 Tuberculosis

Chair: Giovanni Battista Migliori
Secretary: Adriana Sorete Arbore

Tuberculosis is the fastest growing section of the Society. The fusion of Europe at the end of the communist era has allowed free movement of people from nations in the former USSR. Here TB is an immense problem and by far the most important respiratory disease both from the point of view of morbidity and mortality. The high rates of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis, particularly in such countries as Estonia and Russia, pose a huge problem. We have seen an enormous increase in abstracts on tuberculosis to the Society in the last ten years, such that tuberculosis is now the second most represented disease after asthma. This has enabled us to increase the profile of tuberculosis in the Society in terms of Symposia and other plenary sessions.