To meet at the same discussion session people initially involved in areas apparently heterogeneous such as medical research, history, sociology or bioethics should allow a wide analysis of all the aspects related with the fact of the infectious disease. Along this line the main objectives of the Symposium are the conection of the past with the present of the infectious diseases with respect to their social impact, the analysis of the human immunodeficiency from both a sociological and a biomedical point of view as a model disease in our society with great social impact, and the treatment of the ethical problems that have arisen during treatment of the infectious patients.

Each of the above aspects will be treated in conferences and discussion sessions with the participation of experts in the different areas of knowledge related to the infection.

This Symposium has been recognized of interest for public health by the World Health Organization.