9th Conference of the ISTM

Lisbon is the ideal stage for a conference on travel medicine.

In the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries Portugal was one of the world's great maritime powers, a leader in the knowledge of nautical science, ship construction and navigation. Portuguese explorers boldly sailed uncharted waters in their quest to discover new worlds. This rich colonial past is still very much in evidence in Lisbon's grand imperial buildings and stunning monuments.

Lisbon is a European city like no other. It melds the Atlantic Ocean, Western Europe and Northern Africa. It boasts as grand a cultural and historical heritage as any other major European city, but also has a tumbledown, earthier side that sets it apart.

The city centre is a buzzing grid of grand streets, rumbling old trams, antiquated funiculars, and elevators. The funiculars and elevators help you negotiate Lisbon's steep hills.

At CISTM9, we strongly recommend that you attend our already traditional lecture series, "Meet the History" which will highlight Portugal's history and culture. Delegates and accompanying persons are cordially invited. For details see the conference schedule on our CISTM9 website.

Here are some of the other highlights from CISTM9:

Workshops

The popular continuing education workshops will once again be a significant part of the program in Lisbon.  These are designed to be interactive sessions where two experts on a topic discuss with each other and with the audience actual clinical scenarios pertaining to common or controversial areas in travel medicine.  While the leaders will bring some pre-selected scenarios, attendees are encouraged to bring their own questions and clinical dilemmas as well.  This year several of the workshops will feature topics that over the past two years have been frequent sources of debate on the TravelMed listserv. 

• Yellow Fever:  Risk Assessment and Vaccine Safety led by Rachel Barwick of the US CDC and David Hill, Director of Nathnac (National Travel Health Network and Centre) in the UK. 
• Rabies Immunization: Practical Issues led by David Shlim, founder of the CIWEC Clinic in Kathmandu and Sonny Lau from the TMVC Melbourne Clinic.
• Pregnant and Breastfeeding Travelers led by Sheila Mackell and Phyllis Kozarsky.

Malaria Prevention

This years malaria prevention symposium will feature Kevin Kain, University of Toronto, discussing New Developments in Chemoprophylaxis; Thomas Loescher, University of Munich on Changing Concepts in Emergency Standby Therapy; and Larry Goodyer, on the Worldwide Malaria Pharmacopeia.

Influenza

An entire plenary will be devoted to influenza. We are pleased to have Klaus Stohr, head of WHO pandemic preparedness, speaking on the Influenza Situation 2005 and Pandemic Potential; John Oxford from St. Mary's Hospital London, on How Pandemic Strains Emerge; and Fred Hayden, University of Virginia on Antiviral Agents: Use and Availability