Kompetenznetzwerk CAPNETZ: Rückblick, Meilensteine, Ausblick

During the past 15 years, the competence network CAPNETZ (today referred to as CAPNETZ STIFTUNG) established a scientific infrastructure that allowed the successful initiation and performance of several trials and scientific cooperation on community acquired pneumonia (CAP). The progress of CAP research involves most if not all important aspects of the disease: Epidemiologic and etiologic data have been collected; important insights on the improvement of prevention, diagnosis, risk stratification, and CAP-therapy have been gathered and implemented in clinical practice. The CAPNETZ STIFTUNG was instrumental in the preparation and update of the national S3-guideline on CAP. CAPNETZ STIFTUNG wants its history to continue. Accordingly, CAPNETZ has expanded to the European level and extends its scientific interests to other respiratory infections.