27th Annual Conference of the General Practice Research on Infections Network (GRIN) in Würzburg

Infectious diseases are one of the most common reasons for visiting a doctor in primary care. However, not every infection requires antibiotics. Doctors in primary care, i.e., in the fields of general medicine, pediatrics, and adolescent medicine, therefore have a central role to play. They must decide when the administration of antibiotics is sensible and appropriate. Only through the targeted and responsible use of antibiotics can the development of resistance be prevented, ensuring that these vital drugs remain effective in the future. The technical term for this is “antimicrobial stewardship,” or AMS for short. 

100 scientists from around the world gathered in Würzburg to discuss the latest findings in infection research in primary care

AMS was also the focus of the 27th annual conference of the General Practice Research on Infections Network (GRIN). “GRIN is a unique international network in the field of AMS research in primary care, which meets once a year at different locations in Europe and also conducts many studies in a ‘networked’ manner,” reports Prof. Dr. Ildikó Gágyor, Director of the Institute of General Medicine at the University Hospital of Würzburg (UKW). This year, Ildikó Gágyor and her team, consisting of Alexandra Greser, Dr. Peter K. Kurotschka, Vanessa Meyer, and Bianca Steinmann, were responsible for organizing the GRIN meeting. Around 100 scientists from Europe, Australia, and the US accepted her invitation to discuss the latest findings in infection research in primary care on September 19 and 20 at the Burkardushaus, the conference center at Würzburg Cathedral. 

Ildikó Gágyor: “Although antimicrobial resistance can vary greatly from region to region, it is a global problem that knows no boundaries. It is therefore important that we combine our efforts nationally and internationally to avert the resulting health risk.” 

On Friday morning, the focus was initially on new research approaches. These included contributions on improving the monitoring of sexually transmitted diseases, visual communication strategies for the responsible use of antibiotics, the introduction of global AI for infection assessment, and AI-supported diagnosis and treatment decisions for urinary tract infections. Another focus was on point-of-care and diagnostic tests, which are designed to deliver fast and accurate results in practice.

Effectiveness of point-of-care microscopy and urine test strips in confirming the diagnosis of uncomplicated urinary tract infections 

Urinary tract infections are among the most common reasons for consulting a general practitioner. For this reason, a separate section was devoted to them. Among other things, strategies for improving antibiotic prescribing in nursing homes, the information needs of patients with recurrent infections, and new findings on resistance patterns were discussed.

In this context, Peter Kurotschka from the Institute of General Medicine presented the initial results of the cluster-randomized pilot study MicUTI. More than 150 patients from 20 general practices in the Bavarian Research Network in General Medicine (BayFoNet) in the Würzburg and Erlangen area took part in the study. Previous studies have shown that in about half of women, the symptoms of urinary tract infections resolve spontaneously, meaning they do not benefit from antibiotics. This study examined whether urine test strips and microscopic examination of urine directly in the practice can improve the diagnosis of urinary tract infections and enable targeted treatment decisions to be made. The results of the study have already been accepted for publication in an international journal and will appear shortly. 

Insights into the secrets of antibiotic resistance and sensitivity testing 

Prof. Dr. Oliver Kurzai kicked off the afternoon program with the keynote lecture, in which he presented the mechanisms of resistance development in pathogens and their consequences in fungal pathogens. The holder of the Chair of Medical Microbiology and Mycology at the Institute of Hygiene and Microbiology at the University of Würzburg and head of the National Reference Center for Invasive Fungal Infections (NRZMyk) provided insights into new scientific findings on antibiotic resistance and susceptibility testing. 

Respiratory tract infections, infection management in children, and AMS

The focus then shifted to respiratory tract infections. Studies on pneumonia, viral respiratory tract infections, prognostic models for the risk of severe disease progression in patients with respiratory tract infections, and guideline adherence were presented. The first day of the conference concluded with a block on infection management in children, which addressed topics such as the use of antibiotics for respiratory symptoms and parental decision-making factors.

On Saturday, another focus was on respiratory infections. Topics ranged from treatment concepts for post-COVID patients to experiences from the pandemic in Sweden to the use of lung ultrasound and new rapid tests in general practice. This was followed by a session on antibiotic stewardship, which highlighted national programs, innovative communication strategies, and prescribing patterns in Europe. The conference concluded with presentations on common infections in primary care, including sepsis scores in emergency medical services, skin and soft tissue infections, and the population's expectations regarding the course of acute infections.

With its diverse program, the GRIN Annual Conference 2025 provided a comprehensive platform for bringing research and practice closer together and jointly developing solutions for better infection care in general medicine. The 28th GRIN Annual Conference will take place on September 25 and 26, 2026, in Dublin, Ireland.

Text: Science Communication / KL, Original online article: Universitätsklinikum Würzburg: Verantwortungsvoller Einsatz von Antibiotika in der ambulanten Versorgung (only in German)