The first ICCAID was held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan on October 30- November 2, 2000 with a great success. The opening ceremony was performed with participation of Deputy Minister of Health of Kyrgyz Republic Professor Karataev, Turkish Ambassador of Kyrgyz Republic Serpil Alpman, The Rector of Kyrgyz State Medical Academy Professor Adambekov and the president of Black Sea Society of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Hakan Leblebicioğlu. Three hundred and fifty participants from 21 countries were registered and 3 symposia, 7 panels, 1 lecture, 2 round tables; 3 meet the experts sessions 4 specific meetings were given by 75 invited speakers from 11 countries, 24 oral presentations and 188 posters were represented.

As globalization progresses, health issues become globally shared, with increasing threat from new and emerging infectious diseases. The growing facilities and frequency of cross-border movements are increasing; As a result, the risk of cross border transmission of infectious diseases is higher than ever before.

The priority of this high level forum was to share good practice and experience with the scientists from Central Asia and all around the world who keep working in the field of infectious diseases. Specialists working in our region have represented their own experiences in the management of infectious diseases. The information and country specific experiences were shared to strengthen cross border information flow and also to establish a regional forum for specialists in infectious diseases.

The program of the congress focused on important aspects of current infectious diseases, including developments in food-borne infections, microbial resistance, vaccines, molecular epidemiology and public health issues in Central Asia. During the congress the similarities and the differences among the countries in terms of epidemiology, diagnosis, and treatment modalities, local and international guidelines were discussed. The importance of increased antimicrobial resistance treating to public health in all around the world was emphasized, so for prevention and control of antimicrobial resistance, improvement of infection control measures (e.g. sterilization, disinfection, standard precautions) and rational antibiotic use were suggested. A need for a multidisciplinary approach and close collaboration between the relevant professional groups such as clinicians and microbiologists, pharmacists/ pharmacologists, infectious diseases physicians, but also epidemiologists, and veterinary specialists to curb increasing antimicrobial resistance to develop and sustain preventive policies was mentioned. Governments should also give priority to this major issue.

Tuberculosis was evaluated in a separate panel since one third of the world population is infected with this bacterium and 7.5 million new cases and 2.5 million TB deaths occurred each year. A persistent difficulty in tuberculosis management in developing countries was mentioned as that there was no specific, sensitive, inexpensive, and rapid method of diagnosis of the disease. The countries worst hit by the worldwide tuberculosis epidemic urgently need extra help and control activities in those countries that together account for 80% of the global TB are a priority at the moment. Instead of a single global strategy, control programs must be developed that consider key epidemiological characteristics such as TB, HIV, and MDR prevalence as well as available resources.

Among parasitic infections echinococcosis, toxoplasmosis, toxocarosis and malaria were discussed and the epidemiology, clinical features, therapy and preventive measures were evaluated.

This congress showed us that global collaboration is necesseray for combating infectious diseases. And for this purpose the attendees suggested that ICCAID should be continued in a yearly basis at different Central Asian countries.

The congress declared briefly:

The problem of diagnostics, treatment and prophylaxis issues of infection diseases and parasitic diseases remains actual all over the world, especially in the Central Asia.

To recognize work of the Congress fruitful and to recommend an organizing of international congress in a yearly basis at different Central Asian countries.

With a goal to strengthen the international collaboration on struggle against infectious diseases to create association of infectious diseases specialists of Central Asia countries.

To create an organizing committee of association with inclusion of representatives of each country.

With a view of information exchange, cooperation and implementation in practical health care services of achievements of science to found reviewed scientifically-practical journal (in English).

Prof. Dr. Dokturbek Adambekov		Prof. Dr. Hakan Leblebicioglu
The Rector of KSMA		The President of BSCMID