The emergence of Long COVID has raised awareness of the long-term consequences of infections. However, other infections can also have long-term consequences, even if the pathogen has been successfully combated. As part of the 13th LCI Symposium "Long-term Consequences of Infections" of the North German research network Leibniz Center Infection (LCI), international scientists will come together to discuss the later effects of infectious diseases. The event will take place on February 1 and 2, 2024 at the Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine in Hamburg.

Long-term consequences of an infection can have significant consequences for the health and quality of life of those affected. Medical research is increasingly focusing not only on the acute stage of infection, but also on the post-infectious phase. Long-term consequences can be manifold and range from persistent symptoms to serious health complications as well as social and economic problems.

In post-COVID, fatigue (pathological exhaustion) and exercise intolerance are the most common symptoms. "We have also discovered that some of those affected by a SARS-CoV-2 infection develop myalgic encephalomyelitis / chronic fatigue syndrome, ME/CFS for short - a severe, complex and usually chronic disease due to dysregulation of the central and autonomic nervous system, the immune system and the metabolism," explains Prof. Carmen Scheibenbogen, Head of the Immunodeficiency Outpatient Clinic at Charité Berlin and invited speaker. ME/CFS is triggered not only by coronaviruses but also by other viruses. Even before the pandemic, according to cross-sectional data from various studies spanning from 2011 to 2020, an estimated 150,000 to 300,000 people in Germany were already affected, as reported by the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care in its final report for 2023. "However, the illness went largely unnoticed, and consequently, there was minimal research funding,' says Scheibenbogen."

Prof. Gülşah Gabriel, Head of the Department of Viral Zoonoses - One Health at the Leibniz Institute of Virology (LIV), is also investigating the possible long-term consequences of COVID-19. In particular, current research is focusing on sex hormones, which can influence the gender-dependent severity of the disease. She emphasizes: "The influence of respiratory viral infections on the endocrine system with possible long-term consequences is a new field of research that requires special attention."

Bacterial infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis, can also have long-term consequences. Researchers at the Research Center Borstel (FZB) are investi-gating the long-term effects of tuberculosis in the BMBF-Africa-funded TB-Sequel II network led by LMU Munich together with partners in four African countries. Prof. Andrea Rachow from LMU Munich and spokesperson of the TB-Sequel II network will give a lecture on this topic. 

Research in a holistic context

The diverse program of the event will highlight the long-term consequences of infections on the immune system, on the affected organs and on the socio-economic situation of those affected in three thematic blocks.

In the session Socio-economic consequences of infection, scientists such as Prof. Cesar Muñoz-Fontela, head of the Virus Immunology working group at the Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine (BNITM), will discuss how misguided communication or disinformation campaigns have exacerbated epidemics in the past. "Global warming, the need to feed the world and political messages are factors that have a major impact on the occurrence of zoonotic viral infections," emphasizes Muñoz-Fontela.

"It is our goal as LCI to better understand the dynamics of infections and to find out why long-term consequences arise in patients in order to develop innovative strategies to deal with the long-term consequences," says LCI spokesperson and Director at the FZB, Prof. Ulrich Schaible. This symposium marks a further step towards a comprehensive understanding and more effective measures in dealing with infectious diseases worldwide.

Highlights of the symposium include presentations by renowned scientists:

Prof. Dr. Tobias Welte from the Hannover Medical School will address how viral infections can worsen the course and symptoms of chronic cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, and the role of vaccinations as the most important preventative measure.

Dr. Tom Wingfield from the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine will discuss the social dimensions of tuberculosis and how preventive measures and care strategies can be made more effective.

Prof. Dr. Cecilie Svanes from the University of Bergen will talk about the prenatal origins of respiratory diseases and the role infections play in this.

Prof. Dr. Susanne Nylén from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm will present her research on the interaction of parasites with the host. Her focus is on how intestinal nematodes shape the immune landscape in the long term and what impact this has on infections and vaccinations.

The FZB has also invited a special guest from Cape Town - Dr. Zolelwa Sifumba, a doctor and former tuberculosis patient, who is an activist with the NGO TB Proof and will talk about her experiences with the disease and its long-term effects in her contribution "Tuberculosis and me". In addition, the FZB has invited a special guest from Cape Town - Dr. Zolelwa Sifumba, a doctor and former tuberculosis patient, who is an activist with the NGO TB Proof and will report on her experiences with the disease and its long-term effects in the talk "Tuberculosis and I".

We are pleased to invite you to the international scientific symposium of the Leibniz Center Infection entitled "Long-term Consequences of Infections", which will take place at the Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine from February 1-2, 2024.

This symposium will bring together leading experts from different countries to present the latest research and findings on the long-term consequences of infections. The top-class speakers will share their insights on current developments, diagnostic methods, therapeutic approaches and preventive measures. Current program information can be found here (PDF).

We cordially invite you to participate in this important exchange, which offers a valuable opportunity to deepen your knowledge, gain new insights and network with international colleagues.

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3D rendering of contacts between mitochondria (oval shapes) and the ER (red cisternae).
© Robert Gebauer, Grünewald group, CSSB, Hamburg

Program Flyer 2023 (PDF)

Download Press Release (PDF)

Synopsis:

The upcoming symposium will focus on the different compartments that play a role in infectious diseases. Pathogens such as viruses, bacteria and parasites use existing host reaction spaces or create new compartments. These reaction spaces protect the pathogens from host defenses and concentrate factors that contribute to replication. The complexity of the dynamics, structure and function of these diverse reaction spaces can only be fully analyzed in situ.

At the symposium in January, we will therefore address in two days and four different sessions the membrane modulations, the non-membranous compartments, the cytoskeletal processes and the role of lysosome & phagosome in infections.

The event will take place on site at the Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine in cooperation with the Hamburg Leibniz Science Campus "Integrative Analysis of pathogen-induced Compartments" or InterACt for short.  InterACt combines Hamburg expertise in the fields of infection, structural and systems biology with in situ imaging and bioinformatics methods.

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Vortragende und Chairs des LCI Symposiums 2022

Synopsis:

At this year's LCI Symposium "Epigenetics & Memory in Infection & Immunity", a total of four keynote lectures and 14 presentations highlighted the importance of epigenetics on infections and the immune system. For the first time, the event was held in an online format.

Auf dem diesjährigen LCI-Symposium „Epigenetics & Memory in Infection & Immunity“ wurden in insgesamt vier Keynote Lectures und 14 weiteren Vorträgen die Bedeutung der Epigenetik auf Infektionen und das Immunsystem beleuchtet. Die Veranstaltung fand erstmals im Online-Format statt.

Über 200 Teilnehmende kamen am 27. und 28. Januar 2022 auf der Online-Veranstaltung zusammen, um sich über aktuelle Entwicklungen in der Infektionsforschung zu informieren.

In den vier Sessions Epigenetics in Inflammation, Epigenetic Control of Viral Latency and Infection, Parasites and Epigenetics sowie Epigenetic Modulation in Bacterial Infection präsentierten insgesamt 18 renommierte Wissenschaftler*innen aktuelle Entwicklungen aus ihrer Forschung. Jede Session wurde mit einem Keynote-Vortrag eingeführt:

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Synopsis:

The impact of epigenetics on infections and the immune system is the focus of this year's "Epigenetics & Memory in Infection & Immunity" symposium organized by the Leibniz Center Infection (LCI), which will bring together international researchers in an online event on January 27-28, 2022.

Hamburg. Der Einfluss der Epigenetik auf Infektionen und das Immunsystem steht im Mittelpunkt des diesjährigen vom Leibniz Center Infection (LCI) organisierten Symposiums „Epigenetics & Memory in Infection & Immunity“, zu dem internationale Forschende am 27. und 28. Januar 2022 in einem Online-Event zusammenkommen.

Die Epigenetik beschreibt, wie die Aktivität von Genen auch langfristig durch Faktoren wie Umwelteinflüsse oder unsere Ernährung beeinflusst werden kann. So wird mitbestimmt, wann ein Gen abgelesen wird und wann nicht, ohne dass dabei der genetische Code selbst verändert wird. Diese Art der Genregulation hat auch großen Einfluss auf Infektions- und Entzündungsprozesse sowie auf unser Immunsystem und steht im Fokus des diesjährigen LCI-Symposiums.

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 Die Referentinnen und Referenten des LCI Symposiums 2020

Synopsis:

The international symposium of the Leibniz Center Infection focused on strategies to combat antimicrobial resistance. At this year's LCI-Symposium "Future Strategies to Overcome Antimicrobial Resistance", strategies for combating antimicrobial resistance were examined from a variety of perspectives and presented in four keynote lectures and 14 talks. On January 23 and 24, approximately 150 participants came together in the historic lecture hall of the Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine to learn about current developments in infection research. In the four sessions "Resistance", "Host Directed Therapies", "Alternative Strategies" and "Transmission Control", a total of 19 speakers presented current developments in research on resistant pathogens.

Auf dem diesjährigen LCI-Symposium „Future Strategies to Overcome Antimicrobial Resistance“ wurden in insgesamt vier Keynote Lectures und 14 Talks unterschiedliche Strategien zur Bekämpfung antimikrobieller Resistenzen vorgestellt und aus den verschiedensten Blickwinkeln beleuchtet.

Rund 150 Teilnehmerinnen und Teilnehmer kamen am 23. und 24. Januar 2020 im historischen Hörsaal des Bernhard-Nocht-Instituts für Tropenmedizin zusammen, um sich über aktuelle Entwicklungen in der Infektionsforschung zu informieren. In den vier Sessions Resistance, Host Directed Therapies, Alternative Strategies und Transmission Control präsentierten insgesamt 19 Sprecherinnen und Sprecher aktuelle Entwicklungen aus der Forschung an resistenten Krankheitserregern. Jede Session wurde durch renommierte Keynote-Sprecherinnen und -Sprecher eingeführt:

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Synopsis:

The discovery of antibiotics is one of the most important milestones in medicine. However, the increase in antimicrobial resistance in bacteria and other pathogens poses a growing threat to global health. At this year's symposium "Future strategies to overcome antimicrobial resistance", organized by the Leibniz Center Infection (LCI) and held on January 23 and 24, 2020 at the Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, current developments in new therapeutic approaches will be examined and the dangers posed by drug resistance will be discussed.

Hamburg. Die Entdeckung von Antibiotika gehört zu den wichtigsten Meilensteinen in der Medizin. Doch die Zunahme antimikrobieller Resistenzen bei Bakterien und anderen Erregern stellt eine wachsende Bedrohung für die Weltgesundheit dar. In dem diesjährigen, vom Leibniz Center Infection (LCI) organisierten Symposium „Future strategies to overcome antimicrobial resistance“, am 23. und 24. Januar 2020 im Bernhard-Nocht-Institut für Tropenmedizin, werden aktuelle Entwicklungen neuer Therapieansätze beleuchtet und Gefahren diskutiert, die von Medikamentenresistenzen ausgehen.

Die verschiedenen Themengebiete werden durch Übersichtsvorträge renommierter Wissenschaftlerinnen und Wissenschaftler aus dem internationalen Umfeld eingeführt und zeigen die Fortschritte heutiger Strategien in der Infektionsforschung. Unter anderem werden neue Erkenntnisse zur Malariatherapie sowie in der Tuberkulose- und Ebolaforschung präsentiert. Es diskutieren:

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Referentinnten und Referenten des LCI-Symposiums 2019 // LCI Symposium 2019 Speakers

Synopsis:

130 participants came together on January 24 & 25, 2019 at the annual international symposium of the Leibniz Center Infection (LCI). The focus of this year's event at the Berhard-Nocht-Institute for Tropical Medicine was on "Sex Differences in Infection & Immunity", i.e. the influence of sex on infections and the immune system.

Hamburg. 130 Teilnehmerinnen und Teilnehmer kamen am 24. und 25. Januar 2019 auf der jährlich stattfindenden internationalen Fachtagung des Leibniz Center Infection (LCI) zusammen. Der Fokus der Veranstaltung im Berhard-Nocht-Institut für Tropenmedizin lag in diesem Jahr auf dem Thema „Sex Differences in Infection & Immunity“, also auf den Einfluss des Geschlechts auf Infektionen und das Immunsystem.

In zwei Keynote Lectures und weiteren 16 Vorträgen beleuchtete das internationale Publikum neueste Erkenntnisse und Entwicklungen  im Hinblick auf das Zusammenspiel von Geschlecht, Infektionen und Immunsystem.

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Synopsis:

Women and men differ in many ways, even with regard to the risk of infectious diseases, the course of infection and immune reactions. The influence of gender differences on infections and the immune system is the focus of this year's symposium "Sex Differences in Infection & Immunity" organized by the Leibniz Center Infection (LCI). International researchers will meet at the Bernhard-Nocht-Institut für Tropenmedizin in Hamburg on January 24 and 25, 2019.

Hamburg. Frauen und Männer unterscheiden sich in vielerlei Punkten, selbst hinsichtlich des Risikos von Infektionskrankheiten, des Infektionsverlaufes und der Immunreaktionen. Der Einfluss von Geschlechtsunterschieden auf Infektionen und das Immunsystem steht im Mittelpunkt des diesjährigen vom Leibniz Center Infection (LCI) organisierten Symposiums „Sex Differences in Infection & Immunity“, zu dem internationale Forscherinnen und Forscher am 24. und 25. Januar 2019 im Hamburger Bernhard-Nocht-Institut für Tropenmedizin zusammenkommen.

Das Programm des Symposiums ist vielfältig: In insgesamt drei Themensessions und zwei Keynote-Lectures werden renommierte Wissenschaftlerinnen und Wissenschaftler das Zusammenspiel von Geschlecht, Infektionen und Immunsystem beleuchten:

Prof. Philip Goulder von der University of Oxford wird in seiner Keynote-Lecture die Bedeutung von Geschlechtsunterschieden bei der HIV-Übertragung von der Mutter auf das Kind beleuchten.

Prof. Sabra L. Klein von der Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore erklärt in ihrer Keynote-Lecture, wie sich Geschlechtsunterschiede auf das Immunsystem auswirken.

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LCI Imaging Center Symposium am CSSB

Synopsis:

The first LCI Imaging Center Symposium was held on November 29 and 30, 2018 as a prelude to the "LCI Imaging Center": The aim of the new LCI cooperation is to pool the competencies and expertise in the field of microscopy and imaging techniques within the Leibniz Center Infection (LCI).

Als Auftakt des „LCI Imaging Centers“ fand am 29. und 30. November 2018 das erste LCI Imaging Center Symposium statt: Ziel der neuen LCI-Kooperation ist es, die Kompetenzen und Expertise im Bereich der Mikroskopie- und Bildgebungstechniken innerhalb des Leibniz Center Infection (LCI) zu bündeln.

An den beiden Veranstaltungstagen im Centre for Structural Systems Biology (CSSB) wurde mit einer Reihe von renommierten Referentinnen und Referenten das umfassende Spektrum an Bildgebungstechniken und -methoden beleuchtet. So sprach unter anderem Volker Haucke vom Berliner Leibniz-Forschungsinstitut für Molekulare Pharmakologie in seiner Keynote Lecture über die Möglichkeiten in der Visualisierung von endosomalen Abläufen.

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