The Global Burden of Infectious Respiratory Diseases in Adults: Interview with Three Key Opinion Leaders

According to the WHO, the proportion of the world’s population aged over 60 years will almost double, from 12% to 22%, between 2015–2050. This statistic underscores the need to focus clinical attention on older adults and the risk to healthy ageing from infectious viral respiratory diseases, including COVID-19, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and influenza, as well as other diseases, such as pertussis, herpes zoster, and pneumococcal infections. For this article, EMJ conducted an interview in November 2024 with three key opinion leaders, Archana Chatterjee from Chicago Medical School and Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, Illinois, USA; Stefan Gravenstein from Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA; and Tino Schwarz from the Institute of Laboratory Medicine and Vaccination Centre, Klinikum Würzburg Mitte, Standort Juliusspital, Germany, to review the global burden of infectious respiratory diseases in adults, and explore strategies to address this burden. The experts provided valuable insights into topics such as the current landscape of infectious respiratory diseases and how it is evolving, key clinical and lifestyle risk factors for infectious respiratory diseases, and the importance of surveillance. Also discussed were the challenges associated with the diagnosis of infectious respiratory diseases and treatment options for patients with these diseases. Further topics covered included non-vaccine preventive measures, adult vaccination strategies, and key challenges and barriers to the implementation of vaccination for infectious respiratory diseases in adults. The experts explored options to improve education and communication about infectious respiratory diseases and preventive strategies, including educating healthcare teams, as well as keeping patients informed and educated on this topic. Finally, the experts outlined changes they would like to see in the future to address the global burden of infectious respiratory diseases in adults.