Insights in paediatric virology during the COVID-19 era (Review).

The present article provides an overview of the key messages of the topics discussed at the '7th Workshop on Paediatric Virology', which was organised virtually on December 20, 2021 by the Institute of Paediatric Virology, located on the Island of Euboea in Greece. The workshop's plenary lectures were on: i) viral pandemics and epidemics in the ancient Mediterranean; ii) the impact of obesity on the outcome of viral infections in children and adolescents; and iii) COVID-19 and artificial intelligence. Despite the scarcity of evidence from fossils and remnants, viruses have been recognised as significant causes of several epidemics in the ancient Mediterranean. Paediatric obesity, a modifiable critical health risk factor, has been shown to impact on the development, progression and severity of viral infections. Thus, the prevention of paediatric obesity should be included in formulating public health policies and decision-making strategies against emerging global viral threats. During the current COVID-19 pandemic, artificial intelligence has been used to facilitate the identification, monitoring and prevention of SARS-CoV-2. In the future, it will play a fundamental role in the surveillance of epidemic-prone infectious diseases, in the repurposing of older therapies and in the design of novel therapeutic agents against viral infections. The collaboration between different medical specialties and other diverse scientific fields, including archaeology, history, epidemiology, nutritional technologies, mathematics, computer technology, engineering, medical law and ethics is essential for the successful management of paediatric viral infections. The current COVID-19 pandemic has underscored this need, which should be further encouraged in modern medical education.

Paediatric Virology and its interaction between basic science and clinical practice (Review).

The 3rd Workshop on Paediatric Virology, which took place on October 7th, 2017 in Athens, Greece, highlighted the role of breast feeding in the prevention of viral infections during the first years of life. Moreover, it focused on the long-term outcomes of respiratory syncytial virus and rhinovirus infections in prematurely born infants and emphasised the necessity for the development of relevant preventative strategies. Other topics that were covered included the vaccination policy in relation to the migration crisis, mother­to­child transmission of hepatitis B and C viruses, vaccination against human papilloma viruses in boys and advances on intranasal live­attenuated vaccination against influenza. Emphasis was also given to the role of probiotics in the management of viral infections in childhood, the potential association between viral infections and the pathogenesis of asthma, fetal and neonatal brain imaging and the paediatric intensive care of children with central nervous system viral infections. Moreover, an interesting overview of the viral causes of perinatal mortality in ancient Greece was given, where recent archaeological findings from the Athenian Agora's bone well were presented. Finally, different continuing medical educational options in Paediatric Virology were analysed and evaluated. The present review provides an update of the key topics discussed during the workshop.