The Mediterranean Society of Chemotherapy and Infection (MEDSOCCHEMI), in cooperation with ΖΙΤΑ Congress & Travel S.A. organized with great success the 6th Southeast European Conference on Chemotherapy and Infection and the 1st Congress of MEDSOCCHEMI, which took place in Thessaloniki at Porto Palace Hotel, on 13 - 15 November 2015.

The Conference organized under the auspices of the International Society of Chemotherapy (ISC) and the Federation of the European Societies of Chemotherapy and Infection (FESCI). The Conference was attended by more than 130 specialized delegates. The participants and speakers came from more than 25 countries, all over the world and had a wide range of subjects to choose, such as the following:

• Pharmacoeconomics in Antimicrobial Treatment: trends, challenges and opportunities
• Viral infections in Mediterranean region: new perspectives
• Nosocomial infection and infection control in the era of MDR pathogens
• Multi-drug resistance: any chance to win Newest Epidemiology and Therapeutic data in HIV Infection
• Hot topics in Hepatitis Virus Infections
• To stop or not to stop chronic hepatitis B treatment
• Therapeutic drug monitoring for infection treatment in hospitalized patients
• Infections and cancer: Bulgarian experience with chemotherapy therapeutic schemes
• What is new in bloodstream infections?
• Practical perspectives for infection management: from evidence based recommendations to real world experience
• Vaccination 2015 – Myths & Realities
• Infectious Diarrhea
• Combined Antifungal Therapy in Neutropenic Patients Today
• Hot questions in invasive Fungal Infections in SE Europe and the Mediterannean Countries
• Crossborder Transmission an Prevention of MultiDrug Resistant Pathogens: Alex Friedrich (The Netherlands)
• Multiresistant bacteria in urinary tract infections (UTI)
• The role of the education in antibiotic stewardship
• MRSA in the Hospital-Still There?
• Antimicrobial Stewardship in hospitals: a contribution to avoid further resistance!
• Collateral Effects of Anti Infective Drugs in Medical Practice
• Pediatric Infectious Diseases: old problems, new views
• Infection prevention and control measures, where are we and where will we be in 2020?
• Infectious diseases in refugees and migrants in Mediterranean and Eastern Europe
• Immigrants Diseases
• Microbial resistance in SE Europe and other Mediterranean countries
• Endemic and emerging infectious diseases in Balkan and Mediterranean countries
• Antibiotic prescribing policies , consumption and microbial resistance in European and non-European countries
• Epidemiology of Invasive Fungal Infections
• Infection and Cancer is there a relation?
• Novel anti-Gram positive and anti-Gram negative agents
• Progress in the anticancer treatment

Furthermore, it’s worth mentioning that at the Opening Ceremony of the Conference, Mrs. Teresita Mazzei from Italy (Past President of International Society of Chemotherapy), Mr. Andrea Novelli from Italy (Past President of Federation of the European Societies of Chemotherapy and Infection - FESCI) and Prof. Kurt Naber from Germany (Past President of the Federation of European Societies for Chemotherapy and of the International Society of Chemotherapy) received an award, on behalf of the Organizing Committee of 6th SEEC & 1st Congress of MEDSOCCHEMI, for their extraordinary support and contribution to the success to all previous meetings.

Moreover, an outstanding contribution to the 6th SEEC was the participation of the following Greek speakers:
George Petrikkos (President of the 6th SEEC, President of the Mediterranean Society of Chemotherapy and Infection, Medical Director of ‘’ATTIKON’’ University Hospital, Athens, Greece), Apostolos Hatzitolios (Professor in Medicine at University of Thessaloniki), Athanasios Tsakris (President of the Greek Microbiological Society and Professor of Microbiology, Medical School University of Athens), Emmanouil Roilides (Professor of Pediatric Infectious Diseases), Evangelos Giamarellos - Bourboulis (Associate Professor of Internal Medicine) and George Daikos (Professor of Pathology-Infections, Athens University Medical School).

Finally, important foreign speakers participated in the 6th SEEC, such as: Ian Gould (Consultant Clinical Microbiologist, Director of Medical Microbiology & President of the International Society of Chemotherapy), Francesco Scaglione (Associate Professor of Pharmacology, Honorary Treasurer of Federation of European Societies for Chemotherapy and for Infections), Mijomir Pelemis (Professor at Clinic for Infectious Diseases, Clinical Center of Serbia) and Krassimir Metodiev (Professor of Immunology and Microbiology, Head of Department, President at International Medical Association "Bulgaria").

The Australian Society for Antimicrobials is hosting the 16th Asia-Pacific Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infection (16th APCCMI) in Melbourne, Australia on the 30 November – 3 December 2016.

This prestigious Congress on clinical microbiology and infectious diseases offers a unique opportunity for clinicians, scientists, researchers, pharmacists and other healthcare professionals working in the Asia Pacific region to meet international experts from various parts of the world and to network with colleagues who share similar interests. The program will include presentations on antibiotic stewardship and antimicrobial resistance, infection prevention and control, public health, mycobacterial diseases, virology including HIV, hepatology, parasitology, bacteriology including diagnostics and vaccines.

The 16^th APCCMI will be held at the world-class Melbourne Convention Centre, located in the heart of Melbourne CBD. A city renowned as Australia’s cultural capital, Melbourne has abundant restaurants, cafes, bars, galleries and much more to entertain visitors.

Important Dates:

10^th December 2015 – Early Bird Registration Opens

17^th July 2016 – Abstract Submission Closes

5^th September 2016 – Early Bird Registration Closes

28^th November 2016 – Standard Registration Closes

30^th November 2016 – Congress Commences

Consideration will be given to abstracts being submitted in Chinese (translations will be provided by the Congress) to facilitate participation by delegates who may otherwise not be able to attend. Also it is proposed that Chinese language sessions of the daily conference highlights will be scheduled at the conclusion of each day.