On behalf of the European Society of Chemotherapy (ESC)/Infectious Diseases it is my pleasure to present in „Antibiotika Monitor“ the abstracts of the 10th Scientific Meeting in Vienna, the town where this society was founded 10 years ago.

We tried to cover important and critical topics (SARS, respiratory infections, vaccinations and others) faced today by specialists in the research and development of new anti-infectives and in the diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases.

The ESC is focussing on the latest advances in different areas of chemotherapy and infectious diseases and provides you with symposia, lectures, sessions (only one parallel session), free papers and poster sessions on a very high scientific level in order to present an appropriate forum for distinguished experts and ambitious young investigators. All these clinical and scientific presentations are included in the volume June 2003 of this journal.

As one of the founders of the ESC I hope that you will enjoy the programme and an intense exchange of knowledge and friendly contacts in a universitarian atmosphere.

I am confident that the 10th Scientific Meeting in Vienna will satisfy you scientifically, culturally and socially and that you will return home with new ideas, new friendships and the wish to come back to Vienna in the future.

Univ.-Prof. DDr. A. Georgopoulos
Univ.-Klinik für Innere Medizin I, Klin. Abt. für
Infektionen und Chemotherapie, AKH Wien