Advancing challenges in Paediatric Virology: An interview with Professor Barbara A. Rath, Co‑founder and Chair of the Vienna Vaccine Safety Initiative

Abstract

The Vienna Vaccine Safety Initiative (ViVI) is an international, scientific, non-profit, research organization, which aims to promote research, clinical practice and communication on Paediatric Infectious Diseases (PID) in a globalized healthcare setting, to facilitate the implementation of high standards in vaccine safety and efficacy and to support international and interdisciplinary scientific collaboration. Professor Barbara A. Rath, Chair and Co-founder of the Vienna Vaccine Safety Initiative, advocates for the establishment of global research networks in the field of neonatal and paediatric viral infections. Viruses do not respect borders, and large datasets are required and joint action is necessary to further strengthen efforts towards viral diseases eradication and prevention. She encourages the paediatric community to embrace the new opportunities technology offers for healthcare and medical education. To date, the Vienna Vaccine Safety Initiative has developed a number of innovative mobile applications and diagnostic tools, such as the 'VAccApp', which helps parents understand which vaccines were administered to their children, the 'ViVI Disease Severity Score', which measures clinical severity in patients with acute respiratory infections and flu-like illnesses, the 'VACC Tool', which assesses patient's clinical presentation to a set of diagnostic algorithms for adverse events following immunization and the 'ViVI Health Survey', which enables children and young adults on the move to report health needs securely and confidentially. Professor Rath agrees that during this decade there is momentum in the field of Paediatric Virology, as new antivirals and vaccines emerge and are finally becoming available to children. In the future, 'in-house' specialists for Paediatric Virology could be helpful to provide quality of care and reduce antimicrobial resistance by providing individual as well as hospital-wide consultations and advice. She estimates that Paediatric Virology will eventually find its place in the context of PID and Vaccinology. Contents 1. Introduction 2. Questions and Answers

The foundation of the Institute of Paediatric Virology on the island of Euboea, Greece (Review)

“…These experts were asked by the members of the PVSG to offer their input on the debate of the potential role of paediatric virology as a new paediatric subspecialty ( 11-13 ). Although this debate yielded difficulties, challenges and limitations on our proposal, the potential value of paediatric virology subspecialists has undoubtedly been accepted ( 14 ) and the ‘2015 paediatric virology proposal’ has been characterized as ‘a unique project of paediatric innovation in medical education’ ( 15 ) and ‘an educational goal for advanced academic excellence’ ( 16 ). This proposal has been also evaluated as ‘the base of the initiation of a subspecialty programme on paediatric virology in the near future’ ( 17 ).…”

Paediatric Virology and innovation in medical education: An interview with Dr Ioannis N. Mammas, Consultant Paediatrician on the island of Euboea (Greece) and Coordinator of the Paediatric Virology Study Group

“…On October 10th, 2015, he presented the '2015 Paediatric Virology proposal' (14), which, to date, has attracted the critical interest of several leading experts in the scientific fields of Neonatology, Paediatrics, PID and Virology (15). Although this debate has already tagged difficulties, challenges and limitations on the role of Paediatric Virology as a separate paediatric subspecialty, the '2015 Paediatric Virology proposal' has been evaluated as 'a call for innovation in paediatric education' (16) and 'an educational goal for advanced academic excellence' (17); the potential value of Paediatric Virology subspecialists in the future has undoubtedly been accepted (16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25)(26)(27)(28).…”