Infectious diseases
INFECTIOUS DISEASES
KW2 Radboud Universiteit
2024/ 2025
0
,Infectious diseases
1
,Infectious diseases
TABLE OF CONTENTS
BLOC I: MOSQUITO-BORNE VIRAL INFECTIONS AND DIAGNOSTICS (VECTOR-BORNE
TRANSMISSION, + STRAND RNA VIRUSES)...................................................................... 3
UNIT 1: Viruses: background, classification and principles........................................... 3
UNIT 2: Diagnostics general principles ........................................................................ 6
UNIT 3: Flaviviruses (+ stranded RNA viruses) ............................................................ 14
UNIT 4: Arbovirus transmission and vector competence ............................................ 18
BLOC II: VIRAL RESPIRATORY TRACT INFECTIONS AND VACCINATION (RESPIRATORY
TRANSMISSION, - STRAND RNA VIRUSES) .................................................................... 22
UNIT 5: Respiratory viruses ....................................................................................... 22
UNIT 6: Respiratory virus infections and mucosal immunity ....................................... 32
UNIT 7: Principles of vaccination ............................................................................... 38
BLOC III: HIV-1 AND OTHER VIRUSES (SEXUAL, BLOOD-BORNE, MOTHER CHILD
TRANSMISSION, RETROVIRUSES AND DNA VIRUSES) ................................................... 42
UNIT 8: HIV/ Retroviruses, the molecular perspective ................................................ 42
UNIT 9: Clinical presentation and treatment of HIV/ AIDS ........................................... 46
UNIT 10: Innate immunity to viral infections ............................................................... 49
UNIT 11: Herpesviruses: antiviral immunity, latency and reactivation ......................... 52
BLOC IV: BACTERIAL RESPIRATORY TRACT INFECTIONS ................................................ 57
UNIT 12: Haemophilus influenzae: pathogenesis, epidemiology and vaccination ........ 57
UNIT 13: TUBERCULOSIS .......................................................................................... 61
UNIT 14: Pneumococcal infections, pathogenesis, disease and vaccination ............... 64
BLOC V: BACTERIAL SKIN INFECTIONS AND ZOONOSES AND IMPACT OF CLIMATE
CHANGE ON EMERGING INFECTIONS.......................................................................... 69
UNIT 15: Skin and soft tissue infections ..................................................................... 69
BLOC VI: BACTERIAL GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT AND SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED
INFECTIONS ................................................................................................................ 80
UNIT 16: Pathogenesis of bacterial gastrointestinal tract infections ............................ 80
UNIT 17: Gastro-intestinal tract infections and the microbiome ................................. 88
UNIT 18: Sexually transmitted bacterial infections ..................................................... 96
BLOC VII: PARASITIC AND FUNGAL INFECTION............................................................. 99
UNIT 19: A parasitic way of life .................................................................................. 99
UNIT 20: Antimalarials action and resistance .......................................................... 106
UNIT 21: Overview of fungi and fungal diseases ....................................................... 110
UNIT 22: Immunity against fungal infections ............................................................ 115
UNIT 23: Fungal infections: pathogenesis and treatment.......................................... 120
2
, Infectious diseases
BLOC I: MOSQUITO-BORNE VIRAL INFECTIONS AND
DIAGNOSTICS (VECTOR-BORNE TRANSMISSION, + STRAND
RNA VIRUSES)
UNIT 1: Viruses: background, classification and principles
1. What is a virus
“A piece of bad news wrapped in a protein”, “Trouble in a little protein coat”, “Package of
misinformation”, “Contagious living fluid”.
A virus only replicates in the host, not in medium, so it is fully dependent on a host for energy
metabolism, lipid biogenesis and protein synthesis. Virus particles themselves do not grow
or divide. Instead, they are produced de novo from the assembly of pre-formed
components. Viruses infect all living organisms.
“Virus are obligate small intracellular parasites or symbionts that possess their own
genomes encoding information required for virus reproduction and, hence, a degree of
autonomy from the host genetic system, but do not encode a complete translation system
or a complete membrane apparatus”.
- Important terms:
- Replication cycle:
3
INFECTIOUS DISEASES
KW2 Radboud Universiteit
2024/ 2025
0
,Infectious diseases
1
,Infectious diseases
TABLE OF CONTENTS
BLOC I: MOSQUITO-BORNE VIRAL INFECTIONS AND DIAGNOSTICS (VECTOR-BORNE
TRANSMISSION, + STRAND RNA VIRUSES)...................................................................... 3
UNIT 1: Viruses: background, classification and principles........................................... 3
UNIT 2: Diagnostics general principles ........................................................................ 6
UNIT 3: Flaviviruses (+ stranded RNA viruses) ............................................................ 14
UNIT 4: Arbovirus transmission and vector competence ............................................ 18
BLOC II: VIRAL RESPIRATORY TRACT INFECTIONS AND VACCINATION (RESPIRATORY
TRANSMISSION, - STRAND RNA VIRUSES) .................................................................... 22
UNIT 5: Respiratory viruses ....................................................................................... 22
UNIT 6: Respiratory virus infections and mucosal immunity ....................................... 32
UNIT 7: Principles of vaccination ............................................................................... 38
BLOC III: HIV-1 AND OTHER VIRUSES (SEXUAL, BLOOD-BORNE, MOTHER CHILD
TRANSMISSION, RETROVIRUSES AND DNA VIRUSES) ................................................... 42
UNIT 8: HIV/ Retroviruses, the molecular perspective ................................................ 42
UNIT 9: Clinical presentation and treatment of HIV/ AIDS ........................................... 46
UNIT 10: Innate immunity to viral infections ............................................................... 49
UNIT 11: Herpesviruses: antiviral immunity, latency and reactivation ......................... 52
BLOC IV: BACTERIAL RESPIRATORY TRACT INFECTIONS ................................................ 57
UNIT 12: Haemophilus influenzae: pathogenesis, epidemiology and vaccination ........ 57
UNIT 13: TUBERCULOSIS .......................................................................................... 61
UNIT 14: Pneumococcal infections, pathogenesis, disease and vaccination ............... 64
BLOC V: BACTERIAL SKIN INFECTIONS AND ZOONOSES AND IMPACT OF CLIMATE
CHANGE ON EMERGING INFECTIONS.......................................................................... 69
UNIT 15: Skin and soft tissue infections ..................................................................... 69
BLOC VI: BACTERIAL GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT AND SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED
INFECTIONS ................................................................................................................ 80
UNIT 16: Pathogenesis of bacterial gastrointestinal tract infections ............................ 80
UNIT 17: Gastro-intestinal tract infections and the microbiome ................................. 88
UNIT 18: Sexually transmitted bacterial infections ..................................................... 96
BLOC VII: PARASITIC AND FUNGAL INFECTION............................................................. 99
UNIT 19: A parasitic way of life .................................................................................. 99
UNIT 20: Antimalarials action and resistance .......................................................... 106
UNIT 21: Overview of fungi and fungal diseases ....................................................... 110
UNIT 22: Immunity against fungal infections ............................................................ 115
UNIT 23: Fungal infections: pathogenesis and treatment.......................................... 120
2
, Infectious diseases
BLOC I: MOSQUITO-BORNE VIRAL INFECTIONS AND
DIAGNOSTICS (VECTOR-BORNE TRANSMISSION, + STRAND
RNA VIRUSES)
UNIT 1: Viruses: background, classification and principles
1. What is a virus
“A piece of bad news wrapped in a protein”, “Trouble in a little protein coat”, “Package of
misinformation”, “Contagious living fluid”.
A virus only replicates in the host, not in medium, so it is fully dependent on a host for energy
metabolism, lipid biogenesis and protein synthesis. Virus particles themselves do not grow
or divide. Instead, they are produced de novo from the assembly of pre-formed
components. Viruses infect all living organisms.
“Virus are obligate small intracellular parasites or symbionts that possess their own
genomes encoding information required for virus reproduction and, hence, a degree of
autonomy from the host genetic system, but do not encode a complete translation system
or a complete membrane apparatus”.
- Important terms:
- Replication cycle:
3
