Pandemics, Superbugs and the Future of Infection Control

In this talk, I will discuss recent significant advances in infectious disease prediction, prevention, monitoring and treatment options. Despite monumental advances in vaccine technology, clinical treatments and infection sciences, human health is under constant threat from a range of bacterial, viral, fungal and even parasitic infections. I will also discuss our best tools in predicting the next global pandemic and stopping it from happening in the first place.

Most wound infections are treatable. But sometimes bacteria adapt, resist antibiotics, and become far harder to control. How does that happen? And how do we keep up? We’ll explore what drives the shift from a routine wound infection to a drug-resistant “superbug”. As antibiotic resistance rises, infections that were once straightforward to treat are becoming more complex. Using genome sequencing technologies now being introduced into NHS care, we can examine the full genetic make-up of bacteria from wounds and bloodstream infections. This helps us identify resistance, track how infections spread, and respond more effectively. Come along to hear how new genome technologies are helping us understand and respond to drug-resistant infections.