In this talk, Dr Kushlani Jayatilleke, Consultant in Clinical Microbiology and Infection Control at Jayawardena General Hospital, Colombo, Sri Lanka, discusses key aspects of community‑acquired pneumonia from risk assessment and rapid imaging to early antibiotic therapy, pathogen testing, and the crucial role of vaccination.

In this talk, Dr Sanjay Deshpande, Assistant Professor and Attending in Paediatric Infectious Diseases at Texas Children’s Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine, USA, discusses paediatric pneumonia with a focus on rapid diagnostics, targeted antibiotic therapy, and improved antimicrobial stewardship to reduce resistance and enhance patient care.

In this talk, Dr Mitul Patel, Consultant in Clinical Microbiology and Infection Control at Birmingham Children’s Hospital, UK, explores the evidence and the evidence gaps underlying current recommendations for the microbiological diagnosis of pneumonia in children. The session reviews existing guidelines, highlights key areas of uncertainty, and discusses the practical implications for everyday clinical practice.

In this talk, Dr Sanjay Bhattacharya, Senior Consultant and Head of Clinical Microbiology and Infection Control at Tata Medical Centre, Kolkata, India, discusses the causes of chronic pneumonia including tuberculosis, fungal infections, and other atypical pathogens, as well as important non‑infectious conditions such as bronchiectasis and airway obstruction.

In this talk, Dr Aruna Poojary, Consultant in Clinical Microbiology and Infection Control at Breach Candy Hospital, Mumbai, India, discusses hospital‑acquired and ventilator‑associated pneumonia, focusing on diagnostic challenges, rising antimicrobial resistance, and the essential role of robust infection‑prevention practices.

In this talk Dr Subramanian Swaminathan, Senior Consultant & Head Department of Infectious Diseases, Gleneagles Global Hospital Chennai, India, discusses hospital acquired respiratory infections in immunocompromised patients, focusing on diagnostic challenges, atypical presentations, and the need for rapid, targeted management.

In this talk, Dr Sharmila Sengupta, Professor of Microbiology at the Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Faridabad, India, discusses healthcare associated pneumonias are discussed, highlighting bacterial, fungal and viral causes, diagnostic challenges, and the need for early suspicion to improve outcomes.

In this talk, Dr Lancelot Pinto, Consultant Respirologist at P.D. Hinduja National Hospital and Research Centre, Mumbai, India, discusses acute bronchitis with a focus on its viral causes, common diagnostic pitfalls, key red‑flag symptoms, and the importance of avoiding unnecessary antibiotics to support good antimicrobial stewardship.

In this talk, Dr Rishikesavan Suntharalingam, Consultant Pulmonologist, Sri Lanka, emphasises the importance of antibiotic stewardship, with prescribing guided by clear clinical indicators of bacterial infection. He also addresses key regional challenges in South Asia, including antimicrobial resistance, resource limitations, and restricted access to optimal therapies. Preventive strategies such as influenza and pneumococcal vaccination, smoking cessation, pulmonary rehabilitation, and structured self‑management plans are highlighted. The session concludes with practical takeaways.

In this talk, Dr Aditya Agrawal, Consultant in Pulmonary Medicine at Breach Candy Hospital and Research Centre and Parsee General Hospital, Mumbai, India, provides a clear overview of interstitial pneumonias, emphasising that these are histopathologic patterns rather than single diseases. He introduces the 2025 ERS/ATS behaviour based classification, outlines key diagnostic challenges such as distinguishing idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis from fibrotic hypersensitivity pneumonitis—and explains the role of the newly defined bronchiolocentric interstitial pneumonia (BIP).

In this talk, Dr Sneka Palanisamy, Consultant Microbiology and Infection control, Mersey and West Lancashire NHS Trust UK, gives a clear, practical overview of empyema thoracis, outlining how pleural infections progress and why rapid diagnosis and intervention are vital. It covers a UK‑aligned assessment approach—including ultrasound use, pleural fluid interpretation, and indications for drainage—and reviews key management strategies such as antibiotics, small‑bore drains, tPA/DNase therapy, and early surgical involvement.

In this presentation, Dr Naveen Saradhi, Consultant in Paediatric Pulmonology at Rainbow Children’s Hospitals, Hyderabad, India, This video explains how infections especially with Pseudomonas aeruginosa-drive worsening disease in cystic fibrosis (CF) and non CF bronchiectasis. It highlights the “vicious cycle” of infection and inflammation, the growing recognition of viral and fungal triggers, and the importance of early pathogen detection and targeted treatment to prevent lung damage and improve long term outcomes.

In this talk, Professor Uma Sekar, Vice Chancellor of Sri Ramachandra University and Professor of Microbiology at the Sri Ramachandra Institute of Medical Sciences, Chennai, India, outlines how pulmonary cavities form, reviews the major infectious and non‑infectious causes, and explains how clinical history, local epidemiology, and imaging help narrow the diagnosis. It also highlights key pathogens and the essential tools used to identify the underlying cause.