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B. Therapy in Animal Models, Pathogenesis of Infectious Diseases, Molecular Basis for Pathogenicity, and Host Defenses

 

Symposia

 

Bacterial and Viral Infections in Patients Treated with Novel Biologic Agents: What Do I Need to Know?

Advances in understanding the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases have uncovered a plethora of potential therapeutic targets, some of which have already been approved for clinical use. Although novel biologic agents are often more targeted than traditional immunosuppressive therapies, as potent immunomodulators use of these new therapies can be associated with serious infectious complications. Understanding the novel mechanism of action for novel biologic agents, and their potential risk as it relates to specific infections, is essential for scientists and clinicians in the fields of microbiology and infectious disease.

Upon completion of this Symposium Session, the participant should be able to:

• Describe the mechanism of action of biologic therapies approved for the treatment of rheumatologic, gastrointestinal, and dermatologic disease;
• Assess the spectrum and risk of opportunistic infections in patients treated with anti-TNF and non-anti-TNF biologic agents; and
• Describe the effect of biologic agents on viral infections, including HBV, HCV, PML. 

Conveners:
Chaim Putterman, MD; Albert Einstein Coll. of Med., Bronx, NY.
Henry Masur, MD; NIH, Bethesda, MD.

Presentations:
Opportunistic Infections in Patients Treated with Anti-TNF Agents
Deborah Symmons, MD; Univ. of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom.

Infections Associated with Non-Anti-TNF Biologic Agents
Kathryn Dao, MD; Baylor Res. Inst., Dallas, TX.

Viral Infections (HBV, HCV, PML) and Biologic Agents
Leonard H. Calabrese, DO; Cleveland Clinic Lerner Coll. of Med., Cleveland, OH.

 

Malnutrition, Microbiome & Mucosal Immunity

Mucosal immunity, the microbiome and malnutrition will be the focus of this symposium. The impact of environmental factors such as malnutrition, enteric infections and microbiome on the immune response in the gut will be discussed. Included in the symposium will be a review of research targeted to the understanding of why oral vaccination is in general less immunogenic in children in the developing world.

Upon completion of this Symposium Session, the participant should be able to discuss the broad concepts of induction of mucosal immunity, including the role of macro- and micronutrients, microbiome and vaccination strategies.

Conveners:
William A. Petri, Jr., MD, PhD; Univ. of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA.
Cecil Czerkinsky, PhD; Intl. Vaccine Inst., Seoul, Korea, Democratic People's Republic of.

Presentations:
Characterization of the Immune System of Children in the Developing World
Mark M. Davis, PhD; Stanford Univ., Palo Alto, CA.

Growth and Malnutrition in Children in the Gambia
Andrew Prentice, PhD; London Sch. of Hygiene and Tropical Med., London, United Kingdom.

TBD
Michelle Smith, PhD; Washington Univ., St. Louis, MO.

Oral Polio Vaccine Failure in Bangladesh and its Relationship to Malnutrition
William A. Petri, MD, PhD; Univ. of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA.

 

Microbial Factors Modulating Host Responses: New Frontiers

Infectious disease is one potential outcome of a complex interaction between a bacterial pathogen, commensal microflora, and the host immune system. This session highlights breaking developments that are helping establish new paradigms in pathogen-host interactions. Scientific evidence from intestinal model systems reveal that molecules produced by the microflora help shape immune system development, and that certain gut pathogens can modulate inflammatory responses to promote their own survival advantage over commensal species. Activation of innate immune responses requires proper discrimination of viable bacteria invading host tissues, and pathways for specific recognition of bacterial messenger RNA have now been revealed to provide this function. A focus on glycobiology in host-pathogen interactions has also elucidated new mechanisms of microbial molecular mimicry for the purpose of innate immune evasion. These new discoveries may provide opportunities for future therapeutic development.

Upon completion of this Symposium Session, the participant should be able to: 

• Describe how the commensal flora of the human intestine shape developmental aspects of the adaptive immune responses in both health and pathologies such as inflammatory bowel disease; 
• Identify how inflammatory responses induced by the intestinal pathogen Salmonella actually promote the pathogens own survival over the normal flora through unique metabolic adaptations;
• Assess how the host innate immune system discriminates viable from nonviable bacteria in order to mount a response only in the circumstance of a true infectious threat; and 
• Describe how sugar molecules (glycans) on the surface of both bacterial and host cells regulate immune responses, and how streptococcal pathogens have learned to mimic or degrade host sugars to avoid phagocyte killing. 

Conveners:
Victor Nizet, MD; Univ. of California, San Diego Sch. of Med. and Skaggs Sch. of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sci., La Jolla, CA.
Julie Magarian Blander, PhD; Mount Sinai Sch. of Med., New York, NY.

Presentations:
A Commensal Microbe Coordinates Host Immunity to Establish Symbiosis
June Round, PhD; Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT.

Food from the Fire: How the Host Response Feeds Salmonella
Andreas Baumler, PhD; Univ. of California, Davis Sch. of Med., Davis, CA.

Innate Immune Sensing of Microbial Viability
Julie Magarian Blander, PhD; Mount Sinai Sch. of Med., New York, NY.

Bacterial Glycans and Glycosidases That Subvert Host Phagocyte Function
Victor Nizet, MD; Univ. of California, San Diego Sch. of Med., La Jolla, CA.

 

New Concepts in Tuberculosis: Pathogenesis, Diagnostics, Treatment, and Prevention

This session will describe new and developing scientific findings important to tuberculosis disease. New concepts in clinical diagnosis, the role of the immune system, and new approaches to vaccine design will be presented and discussed.

Upon completion of this Symposium Session, the participant should be able to:

• Describe the role of innate and adaptive immunity to pathogenesis of tuberculosis;
• Describe new findings relevant to tuberculosis vaccine development; and 
• Incorporate new concepts for tuberculosis diagnosis into future clinical practice. 

Conveners:
John Chan, MD; Albert Einstein Coll. of Med., Bronx, NY.
Warwick Britton, PhD, MBBS, FRACP, FRCP, FRCPA; Centenary Inst. and Univ. of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.

Presentations:
New Concepts in Tuberculosis Diagnostics
David Alland, MD; New Jersey Med. Sch. (UMDNJ), Newark, NJ.

Adaptive Immunity in Tuberculosis: Friends or Foes
Joel Ernst, MD; New York Univ., New York, NY.

New Approach to Tuberculosis Vaccine Design
Warwick Britton, PhD, MBBS, FRACP, FRCP, FRCPA; Centenary Inst. and Univ. of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.

B Cells and Humoral Immunity in Tuberculosis
John Chan, MD; Albert Einstein Coll. of Med., Bronx, NY.

 

Pathogenesis, Diagnosis and Treatment of Urinary Tract Infection

Interdisciplinary UTI research programs with close collaboration between clinical and basic science researchers are necessary to prioritize the important clinical questions, better elucidate the epidemiology, and focus basic science efforts on identifying those pathogenic mechanisms that will yield novel approaches for the treatment and prevention of UTI. This session will discuss innate immunity as it relates to urinary tract infection (UTI), the epidemiology, of UTI and global spread of multidrug-resistant pathogens, the molecular pathogenesis of UTI, new treatment guidelines for UTI, and novel strategies to prevent UTI. The highly complex pathogenic cycle for the most common causative agent of UTIs, uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) and the complex networks that govern mucosal epithelial responses to infection and impact disease outcome will be presented. This session will inform participants of improved approaches for diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of UTI.

Upon completion of this Symposium Session, the participant should be able to:

• Describe the epidemiology of UTI and the increasing prevalence of MDR uropathogens; 
• Discuss basic concepts of innate immunity relevant to UTI; 
• Identify basic concepts of molecular pathogenesis of UTI; 
• Utilize recent guidelines for the treatment of UTI; and 
• Analyze novel approaches under study to prevent UTI. 

Conveners:
Scott J. Hultgren, PhD; Washington Univ. Sch. of Med., St. Louis, MO.
Thomas M. Hooton, MD; Univ. of Miami Miller Sch. of Med., Miami, FL.

Presentations:
Innate Immunity in UTI 
Catharina Svanborg, MD, PhD; Lund Univ., Lund, Sweden.

The Pathogenesis of Chronic and Recurrent Cystitis
Thomas J. Hannan, PhD; Washington Univ. Sch. of Med., Saint Louis, MO.

Global Spread of Multidrug Resistance in UTI
Marie-Helene Nicolas-Chanoine, MD, PhD; Hosp. Beaujon, Clichy, France.

Treatment Guidelines for UTI
Thomas M. Hooton, MD; Univ. of Miami, Miller Sch. of Med., Miami, FL.

Development of Novel Therapeutics for Treatment of UTI
Scott J. Hultgren, PhD; Washington Univ. Sch. of Med., St. Louis, MO.

 

Virulence Bags: Extracellular Vesicles that Modify Host-Pathogen Interactions

Recent work has shown that the generation and release of vesicles from microbes or from cells co-opted by microbes is associated with alterations in host-pathogen interactions. Extracellular vesicles have now been described and studied in bacterial, fungal, parasitic and viral diseases. These vesicles contain a rich array of polysaccharide and protein components, many of which have been associated with virulence. This session will present information detailing novel aspects of pathobiology driven by the release of these vesicles.

Upon completion of this Symposium Session, the participant should be able to:

• Describe the processes of extracellular vesicle production/release; 
• Describe the components packaged within extracellular vesicles; and
• Predict the impact of extracellular vesicles on microbial virulence. 

Conveners:
Joshua D. Nosanchuk, MD; Albert Einstein Coll. of Med., Bronx, NY.
Leonardo Nimrichter, PhD; Cidade Univ., Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Presentations:
Fungal Extracellular Exosomes: Weapons or Weakness
Leonardo Nimrichter, PhD; Cidade Univ., Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Viral Hijacking of Host Cell Exosomes for Communication
Nancy Raab-Traub, PhD; Univ. of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC.

Leishmania-Innate and Adaptive Immune Responses Dance to Leishmania Exosomes
Neil Reiner, MD; Vancouver Coastal Hlth. Res. Inst., Vancouver, Canada.

Gene Silencing by Exosomes: A Remarkable Mechanisms for Subverting Host Processes by Pathogens
Jaap M. Middeldorp, PhD; VU Univ. Med. Ctr., Amsterdam, Netherlands.