Track 4: Virology and Parasitology in Medicine
Medical microbiology and virology (MMV) is concerned with the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of infection dissemination in hospitals and the community. Even though both of these specializations are lab-based, they are crucial to clinical infection treatment. Medical virologists perform their job in a range of locations, including labs, clinics, hospital wards, and the general public. They deal with challenges brought on by current and developing viruses like SARS and avian flu around the world, as well as HIV/AIDS and other blood-borne illnesses like hepatitis B and C. Medical virologists now have to deal with a new threat called "bioterrorism," which takes advantage of diseases like smallpox.
The seriousness of parasites as pathogens that affect public health, the environment, and the global economy is being recognized more and more. More than three billion people have one or more parasite infections, which cause varying degrees of sickness and mortality. The study of parasitic protozoa, helminths, and arthropods is known as parasitology, and these three groups have historically been the only ones covered. The anatomy, life cycle, and interactions of medical parasites with their hosts and environs are the focus of human parasitology. It is expected that parasitic infections will continue to be difficult to control, demanding increased scientific understanding to enhance control efforts.