The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) is a medical association representing physicians, scientists and other health care professionals who specialize in infectious diseases. It was founded in 1963 and is based in Arlington, Virginia. As of 2018 IDSA had more than 11,000 members from across the United States and nearly 100 other countries on six different continents. IDSA's purpose is to improve the health of individuals, communities, and society by promoting excellence in patient care, education, research, public health, and prevention relating to infectious diseases. It is a 501(c)(6) organization. History The IDSA was formed from two different groups. Jay P. Sanford and a group that included members of the American Federation for Clinical Research, American Society for Clinical Investigation, and the Association of American Physicians met each spring in Atlantic City, New Jersey to discuss infectious disease topics. Another group formed from the American Society for Microbiology's (ASM) antibiotics meetings discussed advances in antimicrobial therapy and proposed a new dinner group to discuss other topics related to infectious diseases. In 1962, Maxwell Finland the president of ASM, who expressed interest in forming an infectious diseases division within the ASM. Dr. Finland formed a planning committee. Lowell A. Rantz, MD, chaired the committee with Edward H. Kass, MS, PhD, MD, as the secretary. The committee decided to create an organization independent of ASM. In October 1963, the committee met in Warrenton, Virginia with 125 charter members and guests. Rantz was elected as president, but he nominated Finland instead, and Kass served as secretary and treasurer. Edward C. Curnen, MD, Mark H. Lepper, MD, Samuel P. Martin, MD, David E. Rogers, MD, Monroe J. Romansky, MD, and Alex J. Steigman, MD were the first councilors, and the IDSA was born. Publications and activities IDSA publishes the following medical journals: Clinical Infectious Diseases (Clinical Infectious Diseases | Oxford Academic) Journal of Infectious Diseases (The Journal of Infectious Diseases | Oxford Academic) Open Forum Infectious Diseases (Open Forum Infectious Diseases | Oxford Academic) The IDSA holds an annual meeting featuring presentations by experts in various aspects of infectious diseases, as well as original research abstracts and panel discussions. The IDSA also issues clinical practice guidelines, advocates the development of new antimicrobial drugs and attention to the problem of antibiotic resistance, and promotes the scientific study of vaccination and access to important childhood vaccines. The Society sponsors the HIV Medicine Association (HIVMA), an