Clinical microbiology and infectious diseases are specialties in constant expansion and, while great inroads are being made in the last decades, some challenges remain complex in these fields. In the last two years, both specialties have been in the first line facing the COVID-19 pandemic. That is why in 2020 we decided to delay this meeting, due to fatigue and the complicated schedule of health care workers; but also due to the restrictions and responsibility that prevented us from doing this event in person. However, now after two years of pandemic, we want to re-launch this meeting since we are all looking forward to face-to-face scientific events.

In the last years, in addition to the progress on COVID-19 therapies and vaccines, many other advances have been occurred in other fields within clinical microbiology and infectious diseases. Apart from the COVID-19 menace, other challenges and threats have emerged and worsened.  Multidrug resistant bacteria (including tuberculosis) are spreading worldwide, making it difficult to treat the infections they cause and posing a very real threat to healthcare systems and public health. New antimicrobials are in the pipeline, but experience with them is as yet insufficient. Likewise, new technology-based diagnostic tools are continuously being developed. Diagnostic and antimicrobial stewardship programs are essential both in hospitals and in the community to optimize diagnosis and treatment with new antimicrobials, as well as with older drugs. Among these refractory infections, sexually transmitted diseases are once again on the rise, due to emerging pathogens and resistances. Apart from COVID-19, other emergent diseases are also of concern, such as those caused by tropical viruses (Ebola, Chikungunya…) and fungi, (Candida auris) as well as other viruses and molds affecting immunocompromised patients whose numbers are escalating across the globe. Research in microbiology is currently in the spotlight of science. For example, microbiome studies are answering previously open questions. Furthermore, technologies such as next generation sequencing, genome editing using CRISPR-Cas9 or artificial intelligence are promising in clinical microbiology, albeit their applicability are far from easy. 

We therefore believe that knowledge and research sharing about compelling issues and new trends in clinical microbiology and infectious disease is essential. This is why we are organizing the First Asturias International Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (AIMID) in Oviedo, a the capital city of Asturias, a small region located on the northern coast of Spain.

We are happy to welcome you to the Congress and to Oviedo, and we hope you enjoy the event, as well as the city.