COMBACTE’s Online Experience at ECCMID 2021
This year’s 31st European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ECCMID) took place online. COMBACTE was present at the congress through the results and science our colleagues shared at the different sessions such as live oral sessions or E-posters. COMBACTE has been participating at ECCMID for 8 years, sharing valuable science from its trials and projects.
No less than 19 COMBACTE abstracts were presented at ECCMID 2021: 6 from COMBACTE-NET, 10 from COMBACTE-MAGNET, 1 from COMBACTE-CARE and 2 from COMBACTE-CDI. We asked some of our colleagues about their experience at the first-ever online ECCMID.
P. aeruginosa Pneumonia Mouse Model
Fien de Winter (University of Antwerp) presented results from COMBACTE-MAGNET’s WP3A trial: ‘Introduction to bacterial dispersion leads to higher mortality and organ dissemination in a Pseudomonas aeruginosa pneumonia mouse model’.
“I really enjoyed being able to share my research at ECCMID this year and hearing the enthusiasm of the moderators. Unfortunately because of the medium, the contact with the public was missing. I hope, however, that many have been able to revisit the recorded talk since this is a big advantage of online meetings”
Carbapenem resistant Enterobacterales
María Paniagua is an ID physician at Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío (Seville) and pHD student under the supervision of Prof. Rodríguez-Baño. She presented results from COMBACTE-CARE’s EURECA study, which is her pHD project and it describes the impact of infections due to carbapenem resistant Enterobacterales on mortality.
“Our study suggested that mortality, severity of infection and inadequate treatment were higher among CRE pacients. Even if data still has to be fully analysed, this reinforces the importance of infection prevention and control strategies, as well as the need for developing new active drugs. Presenting at ECCMID has been a highly enriching experience where lots of interesting ideas were shared. Looking forward for future encounters!”
Extra intestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli
LAB-Net’s Tuba Vilken (University of Antwerp) presented the COMBACTE-NET EXPECT-2: ‘Preliminary results on the antimicrobial resistance profile of E. coli isolates collected from 60 years and older patients with invasive EXPEC disease admitted in tertiary hospital (a prospective epidemiology study)’.
“Although we experienced some technical issues, it was good that ECCMID could take place this year. Besides, the big advantage of this online meeting was that you could follow all the sessions you were interested in, without running back and forth between different rooms.
The results were discussed during a 1-hour Mini Oral Flash session in which ten topics were presented live, moderated by two chairs appointed by the Program Committee. Each of the speakers had 4 minutes to present their study, featuring a brief 1-minute discussion at the end. A 10-minute overarching discussion concluded the session”.
“Extra intestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) is a leading pathogen responsible for increasing numbers of episodes of invasive ExPEC disease (IED). This prospective epidemiology study assessed the antibiotic resistance profile of E. coli isolates collected from 60 years and older patients with invasive EXPEC disease admitted in tertiary hospitals”.
Results from COMBACTE-NET’s ARTHR-IS
For the first time results from COMBACTE-NET’s ARTHR-IS trial were shared at ECCMID. Reinaldo Espindola (University Hospital Virgen Macarena, Seville) presented these results – ‘Risk factors associated with arthroplasty infections due to Staphylococcus aureus (ARTHR-IS): A multinational case-control study’ – during an oral session.
“ARTHR-IS is a case-control study including 19 European hospitals to study the burden of prosthetic hip and knee infections by Staphylococcus aureus. We presented the results about the factors we identified that increase the risk of this type of infection. These data may influence the development of preventive strategies and select patients for closer follow-up after surgery to reduce the impact of this important health problem.
Even though the congress took place online, the organizers knew how to develop a good online platform to share results. In my case, I received a very positive feedback about data presented and many interesting questions from our infectious diseases and microbiologist colleagues. I am looking forward to be at the next ECCMID and share more about COMBACTE projects”.
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