ECCVID platform is free for December

Haven’t had the chance to access all of the great on-demand ECCVID content?

ESCMID is offering access to the ECCVID platform for free during the month of December, to allow all of our colleagues to be able to access the more than 100 fantastic on-demand sessions. In a time when CM and ID professionals the world over are working more than ever, we hope that this open access will enable a much greater number of people the ability to be a part of the first ever ESCMID virtual conference.

Free access will be available until 25 December, 2020, after which abstracts and presented posters will be published in the ESCMID eLibrary. Recorded scientific sessions will follow later in 2021.

Previously purchased registrations will still remain active, and industry-only registrations will be automatically converted to full scientific registrations.

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Applications accepted for Assistant ECCMID Programme Director

EUCAST Online Seminar – 16 December 2020

The last of the 2020 EUCAST online seminars (for a list and video recordings, see www.eucast.org) will take place on Wednesday, 16 December 2020, where the next version of the EUCAST breakpoint table (now available for consultation) will be explained and discussed.

The presentations will take place at 8.00, 13:00 and 16:00 (CET).

In the new year, EUCAST will announce several more online 60 min seminars, possible titles being ”Rapid AST directly from positive blood cultures”, ”The EUCAST website – how to use the full potential”, ”The EUCAST susceptibility category I (Susceptible, increased exposure)”.

Please feel free to submit your ideas for seminar topics.

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Call for panel members of ESCMID guidelines projects now open!

Following the recent call for clinical practice guidelines projects, ESCMID is currently seeking candidates willing to serve on the panel(s) which will develop the clinical practice guideline(s) for the funded project(s):

1. Update of the 2014 ESCMID guidelines for the management of the infection prevention & control measures to reduce transmission of multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria in hospitalized patients, chaired by Evelina Tacconelli, Verona, Italy

2. Diagnosis and treatment of brain abscess, chaired by Jacob Bodilsen, Aalborg, Denmark.

Interested and qualified individuals are invited to send their CV together with a cover letter (max. 2 pages) indicating the chosen topic, and stating their motivation, qualifications, expertise and experience (including list of 10 most relevant publications) to guidancedocuments@escmid.org by January 4th 2021.

For more information about qualifications and requirements to apply as well as about key functions of the role, please visit the ESCMID guidelines webpage. For any questions, please write to guidancedocuments@escmid.org

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ESCMID Parity Commission: call for one new member!

ESCMID is happy to announce an open call for one ESCMID Parity Commission (PC) member position. Eligible for applying for the position are all ESCMID members who are sensitized in issues regarding parity and equity in the CM/ID professional area. Applicants with a record of active engagement in such subjects will be preferred. Important: In accordance with ESCMID policy, the PC aims to maintain geographic  distribution  among  their members. For this reason, applications from France, Switzerland and Italy will not be accepted.

Apply now by sending a motivation letter (max 500 words) along with a short CV (max 2 pages) at science@escmid.org

For further details, please visit the Parity Commission webpage

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CMI highlight: Effect of hydroxychloroquine pre-exposure on infection with SARS-CoV-2 in rheumatic disease patients: A population-based cohort study

Early in vitro studies have suggested that hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) is a potential drug against SARS-CoV-2 infections. This population-based retrospective cohort study was conducted to determine whether HCQ had a preventive effect on COVID-19 in rheumatic disease patients who were taking HCQ. The clinical data of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients who were tested for SARS-CoV-2 were investigated taken from the records of the Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment (HIRA) claim records.

As of May 15, 2020, 2,066 patients with RA or SLE were tested for COVID-19. Among the patients with RA or SLE tested for COVID-19, around 30% were treated with HCQ. Most HCQ users were taking between 200–400 mg/day recommended for the treatment of rheumatic diseases. The attack rate of COVID-19 in the HCQ users (2.3%) did not differ from that in the HCQ non-users (2.2%). Authors conclude then HCQ prophylactic use at a usual dose did not prevent COVID-19 in patients with rheumatic disease.

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