Post-infectious diseases, and post-COVID in particular, present the healthcare system with the challenging yet exciting task of understanding this novel and heterogeneous clinical picture in an interdisciplinary manner, while also providing patients with care based on the latest scientific findings. In addition to scientific networking, national collaboration and comprehensive local care structures must therefore be established.

The DZGs conduct research and translate it into patient care at the highest level, integrating all relevant disciplines. Much of the research on post-COVID in Germany is already being driven by the DZG. Progress in phenotyping has been achieved through the establishment of national cohorts. Multicentric, placebo-controlled drug trials are currently being conducted or have already been completed, particularly for an immunomodulatory drug. Molecular biology analyses will improve our understanding of immunology and enable the further development of translational, individualised approaches. These results have already been presented and discussed at two DZG symposia, with a third research symposium planned.

1st Long COVID Symposium (2022)
2nd Long COVID Symposium (2025)

To address the specific challenges of post-acute infectious syndromes, the DZG is establishing a working group on this topic. This group will bring together the various research activities already underway. In 2026, the DZG Innovation Fund will issue a call for proposals on this topic to initiate further DZG-wide research.

The Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space, together with partners in health research, has launched a National Decade Against Post-Infectious Diseases (in German). This is an important step for everyone who has been calling for years for more attention and robust research into Long COVID and other post-infectious syndromes, including ME/CFS.

Strong alliances are necessary to understand post-infectious diseases and post-acute infectious syndromes. This is what the DZG stand for.