Meeting/Event Information

Join us for a compelling session that highlights the power of clinical reasoning through real-world infectious disease cases presented by regional ID fellows. These presentations will showcase complex diagnostic challenges, management dilemmas, and evidence-based decision-making in action. Designed for clinicians, trainees, and educators alike, this event offers a unique opportunity to learn from the next generation of infectious disease specialists as they navigate high-impact cases with academic rigor and clinical insight.

Agenda

5:45 PM: Reception Meet & Greet with industry supporters
6:45 PM: Served Buffet & Meeting Commences

Presentations

Fifty-five Year Old with Headaches- Dr. Hilal Abdessamad, MD, MS

A 55 year old man with headaches and neurologic symptoms associated with inflammatory CSF findings and radiographic sings of meningitis. Despite clinical and lab improvement with therapy, his course had radiologic progression and new spinal involvement, raising diagnostic and management uncertainty. The case shows the challenges of interpreting clinical, CSF, and imaging data in chronic CNS infections and reviews considerations in escalation of therapy when standard treatment appears insufficient.

Hate to Burst Your Bubble...- Dr. Justin Klucher, MD

A pulmonary mass is noted on imaging for a child presenting with pleuritic chest pain. The lesion is noted to have a cystic appearance and septated daughgter cysts suggestive of Echinococcus disease. Management ultimately yields removal of cysts via surgery preceded by complications of cyst rupture prior to removal.

Primum Non Nocere- An Unusual Case of Lactic Acidosis- Dr. Sandesh Gyawali, MBBS

The presentation is focused on unusual case of lactic acidosis in a critically ill patient. It describes a complex patient with HIV/AIDS and need for high suspicion on medications as the causing agent for lactic acidosis. Following the diagnosis, the presentation focuses on review of lactic acidosis due to the culprit medication and its management. 

CMV: always the troll of the transplantation- Dr. Oscar Efrain Sanchez Sura, MD

Pulmonary nocardiosis is a rare but life-threatening disease caused by Nocardia spp. 
Nocardia spp. is typically considered an opportunistic infection (OI), with 80% of cases occurring in immunocompromised patients. 
CMV has been associated with increased risk of coinfection and subsequent infection with opportunistic infections (OIs), especially fungal infections. 

What lurks within the mind of a restaurant employee?- Dr. Kakumanu Prashanth Reddy, MD

Young immunocompetent immigrant male from Central America presents with new onset facial palsy + solitary intra-cranial lesion. Clinical manifestation of the case under discussion. Diversity in clinical presentation, diagnostic challenges encountered and therapeutic approaches for the given scenario.

About Our Speakers

		Dr. Hilal Abdessamad, MD, MS Fellow University of Missouri Dr. Abdessamad is an Infectious Disease fellow at University of Missouri-Columbia. He earned his MD from University of Balamand (Lebanon) and Internal Medicine residency and Infectious Diseases fellowship at the Lebanese American University. His interests include HIV care, antimicrobial resistance, antifungals, evidence-based decision making, research and clinical trials, and medical education. He also holds a Master of Science in Applied Artificial Intelligence.
		Dr. Justin Klucher, MD Fellow Washington University School of Medicine Originally from North Little Rock, AR, Justin has completed undergraduate education at University of Arkansas Fayetteville in Biology/Biochemistry, medical school at University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, and Internal Medicine - Pediatric residency at University of Maryland in Baltimore. He is currently completing a combined fellowship in IM and Pediatric Infectious Diseases at Washington University.
		Dr. Sandesh Gyawali. MBBS Fellow, PGY4 Southern Illinois University Born and raised in Nepal, I did my medical school from Institute of Medicine, Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital in Kathmandu, Nepal. Completed internal medicine residency from Ascension St Francis Hospital, Evanston, IL, USA and currently a fellow trainee in SIU School of Medicine, Department of Infectious Disease, in Springfield, IL, USA. My interests include global health, tropical diseases and mycobacterial infections.
		Dr. Oscar Efrain Sanchez Sura, MD Infectious Disease Fellow Saint Louis University Oscar grew up in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. He earned his medical degree from Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Honduras Facultad de Ciencias Medicas in 2012 and completed his residency in Internal medicine from Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Honduras in 2020, before moving to the United States to join SLU's fellowship in July of 2024.
		Dr. Kakumanu Prashanth Reddy, MD Infectious Disease Fellow Washington University  Dr. Reddy is an Infectious Diseases fellow at Washington University in St. Louis. He pursued his medical training in India, MPH in Scotland and Internal Medicine residency in Michigan. He is interested in pursuing a career in General ID and STI.

Target Audience

This course is directed to infectious diseases physicians, pediatricians, public health specialists, infection control specialists, epidemiologists, and those who oversee infection control programs.

Contact

If you have any questions please email [email protected].