Viral infections trigger chronic lung damage and disease

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Chairs: A. Dinh-Xuan (Paris, France), T. Geiser (Bern, Switzerland)
Aims: To summarise the translational evidence for a pathogenic role of viral infections in chronic lung diseases; to explain the role of viruses as injurious agents in the onset of a variety of pulmonary pathologies (including COVID and other viruses known for their damaging effects on pulmonary health via various possible pathways); to summarise the most recent knowledge regarding viral induction of chronic lung diseases; to discuss the implications of new emerging respiratory viruses for virus epidemiology, pandemic threats and vaccine development; to highlight the contribution of viral infections to the onset of chronic lung diseases; to list the mechanistic pathways of post-viral chronic lung diseases and the factors modulating (post)virus pathogenesis including age; to describe the activation of immune cells in viral-induced chronic lung diseases and potential therapeutic approaches.

Emerging respiratory virus infections threaten pulmonary health T. Welte (Hannover, Germany)
Post-viral effects on the susceptibility of developing chronic lung diseases D. Sin (Vancouver (BC), Canada)
Development of paediatric asthma following viral infections S. Saglani (London, United Kingdom)
The role of viruses in the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis S. Meiners (Sülfeld, Germany)
Discussion and Q&A