SubjectsSubjects(version: 996)
Course, academic year 2026/2027
   
Pathogenesis, Epidemiology and Diagnostics of Selected Human Viral Diseases - MB140P85E
Title: Pathogenesis, Epidemiology and Diagnostics of Selected Human Viral Diseases
Czech title: Patogeneze, epidemiologie a diagnostika vybraných lidských virových onemocnění
Form of teaching: lecture
Guaranteed by: Department of Genetics and Microbiology (31-140)
Faculty: Faculty of Science
Actual: from 2026
Duration in semesters: 1
Semester: summer
E-Credits: 3
Examination process: summer s.:combined
Hours per week, examination: summer s.:2/0, Ex [HT]
Capacity: unlimited
Maximum number of enrolled students: unlimited
Min. number of students: unlimited
4EU+: no
Virtual mobility / capacity: no
State of the course: taught
Language: English
Repeated enrollment: 2 / 2 / 2 / 2
Note: enabled for web enrollment
priority enrollment if the course is part of the study plan
Guarantor: prof. RNDr. Ruth Tachezy, Ph.D.
Annotation -
The lecture course will focus primarily on viruses, which cause diseases in humans and which are diagnosed as a part of routine medical practice. Our main emphasis will be on diagnostic principles and epidemiological aspects. At the beginning of the course, we will outline basic definitions used in epidemiology and molecular epidemiology. We will characterize regulations for evaluating diagnostic methods and commercial tests, describe methods and rules of work in a virological laboratory as well as define principles of good laboratory practice. Pathogenesis and methods of prevention of viral diseases in humans will be discussed. In subsequent lectures we will focus on groups of viruses that cause diseases with similar clinical manifestation (e.g. respiratory viruses or viruses causing hepatitis) and specify their mode of transmission, incubation period, type of infection, clinical symptoms, diagnostics, prevention and prophylaxis. Newly emerging important viral infections will also be discussed.
Last update: Lichá Irena, RNDr., CSc. (19.03.2019)
Literature -

Fields Virology, Fields, Knipe and Howley, 2013, 6th edition

Viruses and Human Disease
Strauss and Strauss, 2nd edition, 2007, ISBN 978-0-12-373741-0

Fenner and White's Medical Virology, 5th edition
2016, ISBN 9780123751560

Vaccinology, an essential guide
Milligan, Barrett; 2015; ISBN 978-0-470-65616-7 (pbk.)

Basic Epidemiology
Gopfertová, Šmerhovský, 2015

Viral Infection of Humans
Stanberry, Le Duc, Kaslow, 2014, ISBN 1489974482, 9781489974488

Last update: Lichá Irena, RNDr., CSc. (19.03.2019)
Syllabus -

The lecture aims to familiarize students with viruses that cause common illnesses in routine practice in humans and animals, with an emphasis on diagnostic principles, epidemiology, and prevention. The focus is on practical knowledge for virology laboratories and clinical practice. The lecture also covers the basics of epidemiology and vaccinology as they relate to viral infections. 

Last update: Tachezy Ruth, prof. RNDr., Ph.D. (15.04.2026)
Learning outcomes -

After completing the course, students will:
• Define basic epidemiological terms such as prevalence, incidence, mortality, morbidity, epidemic and pandemic, elimination and eradication of disease, including examples and types of epidemics.
• List types of epidemiological studies, their design, advantages and disadvantages, and measures of effect.
• Explain what systematic error, confounding variable, and causality criteria are.
• Describe the difference between epidemiology and molecular epidemiology and give examples of the use of molecular epidemiology in virology.
• Identify the principles of evaluating diagnostic methods, including sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, and analytical sensitivity.
• Describe the process of collection, transport, and pre-analytical processing of clinical samples in a virology laboratory.
• Explain the principles of good laboratory practice, accreditation, and external quality assessment.
• Describe the principles of diagnostic methods used in virology and the interpretation of results.
• State the difference between pathogenicity and virulence, and describe types of infections at the host and cell level.
• Describe the factors of viral pathogenesis, the entry and spread of viruses in the body, the concept of congenital infection, and which viruses cause it.
• Describe the basic principles of the host's immune response to viral infection and viral mechanisms of immune escape.
• Describe which factors, including environmental factors, influence the spread of viruses.
• For individual groups of viruses causing diseases with the same clinical manifestations, describe the types of viruses, the types of infections they cause, clinical symptoms, epidemiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment.

Last update: Tachezy Ruth, prof. RNDr., Ph.D. (30.01.2026)
The course does not include work placement
 
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