11th Annual International Symposium on Staphylococci and Staphylococcal Infections will be held Oct. 24-27, 2004

CHARLESTON, S.C. -- The 11th Annual International

Symposium on Staphylococci and Staphylococcal Infections (ISSSI) will be held at the North Charleston Convention Center in Charleston, S.C. Oct. 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 and Prevention (CDC), 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.  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 11 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, visit http://www.isssi.org.

Source:  International Symposium on Staphylococci and

Staphylococcal Infections