INFECTIONS IN LUNG TRANSPLANTATION:
A network to meet the challenge

Lung transplantation is the therapy of choice for end-stage respiratory failure secondary to many severe chronic lung diseases. Despite improved survival rates over the last few decades, lung transplant recipients suffer high rates of infectious complications due to immunosuppression and to the graft’s continuous exposure to the external environment.

Over the last 10 years, and all the more so after the COVID-19 pandemic, infections caused by MDR (Multi Drug Resistant) bacteria have spread in Italy, posing a serious threat and challenge in immunocompromised patients.

The congress will also address issues related to the management of fungal, viral, and rare infections that would benefit from shared management within a network in order to be better studied and addressed.

This is an invitation to establish and develop a clinical and scientific network that will share and review complex cases improving the diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes of patients with such diseases.

At the end of each session, the National Survey outcomes will be presented and discussed to review infectious disease management practices for lung transplant recipients, assess the state-of-the-art in Italy, and identify both strengths and areas of improvement.

The goal is to form working groups that are as inclusive as possible on the various topics discussed, share experiences with others and, in the future, set up an Italian register to provide scientific evidence to improve the management of infections in lung transplantation.

The aim of the event is to bring together pulmonologists, thoracic surgeons, and infectious diseases specialists from all Italian lung transplant centers and encourage the creation of a network of clinical and scientific collaboration on lung transplant infections.