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- Journal Club: Direct interactions with influenza promote bacterial adherence during respiratory infections
- Journal Club: Enrichment of the lung microbiome with oral taxa is associated with lung inflammation of a Th17 phenotype
- Article Summaries: High-Dose Rifampin Leads to More Rapid Sputum Sterilization in Smear-Positive Pulmonary Tuberculosis without Increased Toxicity
- Spring 2019 Assembly Newsletter
Featured
Assembly Chair
Kristina A. Crothers, MD
Welcome to the website of the Assembly for Pulmonary Infections and Tuberculosis (PI-TB). The PI-TB Assembly represents clinicians, scientists, and public health practitioners from across the globe. Our assembly focuses on all aspects of pulmonary infections and host defense. At present, we have 817 primary members and 2,003 secondary members, with about one-third of our membership from outside of North America.
We are one of the most productive and visible Assemblies within ATS. Our statements and guidelines are highly cited and have helped to establish and improve practice in the diagnosis and treatment of a wide variety of pulmonary infections, including community-acquired pneumonia, hospital-acquired/ventilator-associated pneumonia, and pneumonia in the immunocompromised host; tuberculosis and non-tuberculous mycobacterial infections; fungal infections; and bronchiectasis. Our symposia and mini-symposia at the ATS Annual Meeting continue to provide some of the best opportunities for clinicians and scientists to be kept abreast of recent advances in the diagnosis, treatment, and control of respiratory infections. Thematic poster sessions allow interaction with some of the cutting edge research in these areas.
This is an exciting yet challenging time to be involved with pulmonary infections. The availability of improving diagnostics, new and re-purposed antibiotics for both mycobacterial and bacterial pneumonia, and emerging data regarding the lung microbiome and its role in pulmonary disease has stimulated great interest. Conversely, the increase in multidrug-resistant (MDR) and extremely drug-resistant (XDR) strains of bacteria and tuberculosis pose a threat to the dramatic improvements in health resulting from effective antibiotics. Pandemic influenza, SARS and MERS have also increased awareness of the role of serious viral respiratory tract infections and the lack of effective anti-viral treatment for both new or previously known respiratory viruses.
So if the challenge of clinical management of respiratory infections, understanding the pathophysiology and epidemiology, or developing new treatment paradigms, we encourage you to join us in the PI-TB Assembly. Our Assembly particularly encourages participation by junior members, including fellows, through a variety of programs in order to meet the future challenges in pulmonary infections. For more information about the Assembly contact us at pitb@thoracic.org.
Kevin Fennelly, MD, Immediate, Past Assembly Chair
Charles S. Dela Cruz, MD, PhD, Program Chair
Jussi J. Saukkonen, MD, Planning Chair
Colin Swenson, MD, Web Director
2018 ATS International Conference Photos
2013 ATS International Conference Photos
