Infectious Diseases – Public Health Laboratories

The Specialization “Infectious Diseases – Public Health Laboratories”, offers expertise on communicable diseases involving humans, animals, food, water and environment. Particular focus is set on management and treatment of threats deriving from infectious agents, through the contribution of Public Health laboratories’ infrastructures, playing a key role in detection, monitoring and control of outbreaks and epidemics based on reliable scientific data for the prevention and control of infectious diseases.
Adoption and application of up-to-date laboratory techniques in the field of Public health and especially in surveillance of infectious diseases and epidemiological surveillance of outbreaks, has created the need of specialized training for laboratory professionals (medical doctors, microbiologists, veterinarians, biologists, laboratory technicians and other related professions) in the most recent technological advances and the contribution of laboratory diagnosis in confronting Public Health challenges.
In our country, it is of major importance to develop and consequently communicate broadly the concept of the One Health approach, that includes collaboration of public health microbiology, molecular epidemiology, microbial typing for infectious disease surveillance in order to successfully address challenges as:
• Monitoring of vaccine-preventable diseases and understanding of their epidemiology (universal dominant clones),
• Antibiotic resistance and Hospital-Acquired Infections, that impose a global public health threat with significant financial impact,
• Surveillance of emerging and tropical diseases that have emerged and established the last few years in Europe (West Nile virus), causing public health emergencies.  Furthermore, neglected tropical and parasitic diseases, such as malaria and vector borne diseases (Dengue, Chikungunya, Usutu) related to the climatic change are characterized as emerging threats of particular importance for our country due to its geographical location and the movement of immigrant populations.
• Surveillance of foodborne and waterborne diseases, especially salmonellosis due to the globalization in food production
• New or re-emerging disease such as influenza, SARS, MERS, COVID-19
• Bioterrorism threat
Additional learning outcomes of this specialization include:
• detailed comprehension of the epidemiology, principles and methodology of control and prevention of infectious diseases of major Public Health importance
• understanding of the basic principles of Public Health Microbiology.
Teaching and learning methods of this Specialization include both theoretical training with lectures, seminars, presentations, problem- based exercises and laboratory training (conventional and molecular typing techniques and methods, specific cultures), advanced design and application of specialized laboratory protocols for the management of outbreaks, epidemics and also for creating public health laboratory networks.
This specialization is mainly addressed to Microbiologists, Biologists, Veterinarians, and other relevant specialists and professionals working in Public Health laboratories or hospital laboratories also assisting and offering public health services.

Curriculum

1st Semester

2nd Semester

3rd Semester

4th Semester