CHARLESTON, S.C., July 19 /PRNewswire/ -- The 11th Annual International Symposium on Staphylococci and Staphylococcal Infections (ISSSI) will be held at the North Charleston Convention Center in Charleston, South Carolina on October 24-27, 2004, uniting the world's most respected scientists and clinicians as they share research findings, new treatments, and strategies to combat what is becoming a worldwide public health crisis.
Studies by the Centers for Disease Control, universities, and various agencies worldwide have shown a recent surge in the number of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) cases in the community without the presence of any known risk factors. Previously, the majority of Staphylococcal infections were traced to exposure to risk factors such as recent hospitalization or residence in a long-term care facility.
"Staphylococcus aureus has been increasing in frequency and severity both in the hospital and the community. Over the past six months, my clinic and consult service have seen more cases of S. aureus infections than ever before in my 34 years of practice," reports Dr. Richard Proctor, Professor of Medicine and Medical Microbiology/Immunology at the University of Wisconsin Medical School and ISSSI faculty member.
Within the field of infectious diseases there is an increasingly relevant concern regarding emerging infections with the major staphylococcus, Staphylococcus aureus, and its resistant type, MRSA. A growing number of MRSA cases are resistant to one of the few available alternative antibiotics, vancomycin. Another ISSSI faculty member, Dr. Keiichi Hiramatsu of the Department of Bacteriology of the Juntendo University, states, "Now the U.S. has experienced the emergence of three VRSA (vancomycin-resistant MRSA) strains to which the most trusted antibiotic vancomycin is just nothing more than 'table salt.'" This trend of community-acquired MRSA infections and the growth of vancomycin resistant strains of MRSA creates an urgent need for new approaches and treatments.
"Everyone is united by the goal of finding better solutions to fight these increasingly powerful bacteria," says Dr. Joseph John, Jr., President of the International Symposium on Staphylococci & Staphylococcal Infections, in reference to ISSSI presenting a unique opportunity for respected leaders to present new data on Staphylococcal bacteremia, endocarditis, osteomyelitis, device-related infections, and emerging syndromes. Dr. John is Chief of the Medical Service at the Ralph H. Johnson Veterans Affairs Medical Center and Professor of Infectious Diseases at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston.
This four-day meeting, held for the first time in the Americas, consists of eleven plenary sessions with at least 40 lectures in the following areas: staphylococcal genome, global epidemiology, emerging clinical syndromes, staphylococcal pathogenesis, colonization & vaccines, multi-drug resistance, infection control, new therapeutic agents, and community acquired MRSA. Numerous international experts in various areas of staphylococcal infections will address what Proctor terms as "one of the most serious challenges to health in the developed world."
This activity is approved for AMA PRA credit. To register for this event or obtain more information about the 11th Annual International Symposium on Staphylococci & Staphylococcal Infections please visit http://www.isssi.org/.
For questions please contact Rachel Geller at rgeller@isssi.org or call 610-727-3918.
International Symposium on Staphylococci and Staphylococcal InfectionsCONTACT: Rachel Geller, ISSSI, +1-610-727-3918, Fax: +1-215-689-1995,rgeller@isssi.org
Web site: http://www.isssi.org/