About the Congress


ECCMID takes place annually in the spring and is recognized by academia, the clinical setting and industry as the largest European congress for the presentation and discussion of research in the fields of clinical microbiology and infection. The first European Congress of Clinical Microbiology (ECCM) was organised in 1983 in Bologna. After the Society's adoption of infectious diseases in the late eighties, the first ECCMID was held in 1991 in Oslo. Initially a biannual congress, ECCMID became an annual event after 1999 in Berlin. The venues of ECCMID have been systematically selected to ensure that the congress is easily accessible to colleagues from different areas of Europe on a rotating basis. Since its initiation, ECCMID has grown in size and stature and now attracts around 10,000 participants every year. The number of submitted abstracts has risen to over 3,000 of which 65% are accepted for oral or poster presentation. ECCMID is a congress that industry supports through sponsored symposia as well as a large and comprehensive exhibition of laboratory equipment, diagnostic tools and pharmaceutical products.

 

Scientific Programme

The scientific programme of ECCMID is a synthesis of current priorities in the fields of clinical microbiology and infection. The diagnosis, treatment, epidemiology and prevention of infectious diseases, as well as related basic microbiology, are addressed by leading scientists. Keynote lectures, symposia, meet-the-expert sessions, educational workshops, as well as poster and oral sessions, guarantee exposure to recent scientific developments. Many subjects are addressed in interactive sessions to maximise the educational aspect. Delegates can take advantage of continuing medical education credits for attending ECCMID.

 

ESCMID Networking Corner

ECCMID has also become a favoured occasion for project groups to meet and interact. Therefore, every year, you can find at ECCMID the ESCMID Networking Corner (ENC) / Affiliated Societies Corner (ASC). This corner provides a unique opportunity for our Affiliated Societies, Study Groups and ESCMID Collaborative Centres to present their work to a larger scientific community, exchange views with colleagues and attract new members, through videos and an onsite networking area. The presented information is also available throughout the year electronically in the eLibrary.

 

Raising Public Awareness

Success and failure in managing infectious diseases have a significant impact on public health. ESCMID is well aware of this fact and holds press conferences to keep the public informed of key findings concerning public health factors related to infectious disease medicine through press conferences.