Abstracts - Topical Categories
For purposes of review and programming, abstracts are divided into topical categories as outlined below. Selection of the most appropriate category is important as it determines who reviews your abstract. Please carefully read the following summaries to ensure that your abstract fits your category selection. The 48th ICAAC/IDSA 46th Program Committee reserves the right to reassign your abstract to a more appropriate category.
A. Antimicrobial Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacodynamics, and General Pharmacology:
Relevant pharmacokinetic studies (including absorption, distribution, metabolism and elimination) of new antibacterials, antivirals, anti-HIV agents, antifungals, and other anti-infectives (post-US IND) will be considered if they have not been previously reported or if they reflect unique observations. Studies on drug-drug interactions and the epidemiology, pathogenesis, and prevention of drug toxicities are encouraged.
In vitro pharmacodynamic studies (e.g., post-antibiotic effects, sub-MIC effects) and those performed in humans, animals and in vitro models will be considered if they provide new information. The Program Committee is especially interested in studies correlating pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) indices (e.g., time above MIC, peak/MIC ratio, AUC/MIC ratio) with therapeutic efficacy.
B. Therapy in Animal Models, Pathogenesis of Infectious Diseases, Molecular Basis for Pathogenicity, and Host Defenses
Abstracts reporting the effects and investigation of specific or nonspecific immunomodulating agents, the host immune response to infections, molecular studies into the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of a disease, and studies in animal models are welcome. Topics to include innate & adaptive immunity, mycobacteria.
C. Antibacterials: Mechanisms of Action, Resistance and Surveys
C1. Antibacterials: Mechanisms of Action, Biochemistry, and Genetics of Resistance (Antibacterial, not Viral or Fungal), Including, In Vitro Antibacterial Susceptibility Studies and Drug-Combination Interactions
Abstracts are encouraged in the areas of mechanisms of action of and resistance to antibacterials, including studies of genetic elements causing or regulating resistance. Abstracts dealing with viral or fungal resistance should be submitted to categories "H", "M" or "V", as appropriate.
In addition, this category comprises MIC data and/or time-kill studies on relatively new drugs (those past IND filing in the US, or beyond phase I studies), and in vitro drug-combination interactions. MIC studies involving several institutions and a large number of strains are preferred. Other studies that will be considered include those in which the activities of various antimicrobial agents against a select or well-defined group of organisms are determined.
C2. Antibacterials: Surveys and/or Molecular Epidemiology of Resistance and Resistance Genes, Strains or Serotypes (Bacterial, not Viral or Fungal Resistance)
Abstracts on studies relating to surveillance and molecular epidemiology of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and resistance genes are appropriate. Other abstracts considered include novel assays and methods for detection of resistance genes, as well as analyses and comparisons of typing methods for differentiating strains. Priority will be given to unique abstracts that provide surveillance data on emergence or reductions in resistance of major public health importance.
D. Laboratory Tests for Diagnosing Infections; Methods for Antibacterial Susceptibility Testing
Abstracts presenting information on clinically relevant studies of recovery, enumeration, or characterization of microorganisms from clinical specimens will be considered. Also of interest are innovative methodologies and instrumentation, particularly when these techniques are faster or produce more clinically useful data. Repetitive trials or comparisons of instruments or methods will be acceptable only if different from those previously published or additional conclusions are reported. In addition, novel studies of in vitro susceptibility tests that address new methods, clinical relevance of results, and development of interpretive criteria are welcome. Laboratory diagnostic approaches for newly recognized infectious diseases are welcome.
F. New Antimicrobial Agents (i.e. pre-US IND or prior to the start of any clinical therapeutic studies) and New Research Technologies
The Program Committee will endeavor to concentrate all information on a new compound and technology in one session. Structures of new agents must be presented in at least one poster in the session. Individual authors are discouraged from segregating closely related data into multiple abstracts.
F1. New Antimicrobial Agents (i.e. pre-US IND or prior to the start of any clinical therapeutic studies)
Abstracts dealing with the isolation, purification, and identification of new antimicrobial agents and the chemistry, structure-activity relationships, mechanisms of action, in vivo/in vitro microbiology, PK/PD in animals, and pre-US IND or non-US early phase 1 studies are given priority consideration.
F2. New Research Technologies and Methodologies (in early stages of drug discovery)
Submissions describing the use and output of the new technology platforms used principally in the early stages of anti-infective drug discovery.
G. Adult and Pediatric Vaccine Studies and Pediatric Infections
Abstracts dealing with bacterial and viral vaccines to prevent infectious diseases are welcome. In addition, studies will be considered that address antigen discovery or delivery, new adjuvants or immunomodulators used to augment vaccine responses. Both in vitro and in vivo data are acceptable.
G1. Pediatric Vaccines and Clinical Immunology Studies
G2. Studies Relating to Aspects of Pediatric Infections, Including Therapy Trials
H. HIV/AIDS and Other Retroviruses, Including Resistance
Abstracts on most aspects of HIV, retroviruses, and complications of AIDS are appropriate for this category. This category would include susceptibility testing methods and results, pathogenesis, epidemiology, natural history, pre-clinical studies of antiretroviral drugs (post-US IND), clinical trials, and outcomes research.
K. Hospital-acquired and Surgical Infections, Clinical Epidemiology, and Health Outcomes
Abstracts dealing with studies that help us better understand the magnitude of the infection, risk factors, epidemiology, and prevention of endemic or epidemic infections in the Healthcare environment and in surgical patients. Also of interest are studies that have utilized molecular epidemiological techniques to address these issues.
Also, abstracts dealing with pharmacoeconomics and managed care. Abstracts comparing costs or other advantages of different therapies or interventions should meet the abstract requirements listed for clinical trials (i.e., large number of patients, randomized design, and use of control drugs). The Program Committee is especially interested in abstracts dealing with new approaches in design, methodology, and evaluation of pharmacoeconomic studies and outcomes analysis.
L. Clinical Trials of Therapy of Bacterial Infections and Adult Community-Acquired Infections, Including Obstetrical-Gynecological and Sexually Transmitted Infections
Abstracts on most aspects of community-acquired infections are appropriate for this category. This category would include studies of the natural history, epidemiology, prevention, treatment strategies, outcomes trials, and antibacterial clinical trials of community-acquired infections in adults; results of susceptibility testing of sexually transmitted pathogens are also appropriate. In general, submission of an abstract based on a single case report is not encouraged
L1. Antibacterial Clinical Trials in Adults, including Adult STI, Urinary Tract, & Ob-Gyn Infections
L2. Studies of Other Adult Community Acquired Infections
M. Mycology, Including Resistance and Mechanisms of Action of Antifungals
Abstracts on most aspects of medical mycology are appropriate for this category. This category would include diagnostic tools, susceptibility testing methods and results, mechanisms of action and resistance, pathogenesis, epidemiology, natural history, pre-clinical studies of antifungal drugs (post-US IND), and clinical trials. Due to the large number of abstracts received on antifungal susceptibility testing, priority is given to abstracts containing information on multi-center or multi-method comparison studies, new drugs, novel epidemiological aspects of resistance, and studies that investigate the technical aspects of susceptibility testing.
P. Parasitology and Travel Medicine
Abstracts on most aspects of medical parasitology are appropriate for this category. This category would include susceptibility testing methods and results, diagnostic tools, mechanisms of action and resistance, pathogenesis, epidemiology, and natural history.
V. Virology (Non-HIV), Including Resistance, and Non-HIV Viral Opportunistic Infections in HIV-Infected Patients