In the last decade, emerging and reemerging infectious diseases are staging a comeback. There are about 40 new pathogens discovered since 1973. China has witnessed the emergence and reemergence of several infectious diseases that have great impacts on health and economy in many countries around the world, such as AIDS and Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in USA and avian influenza in Asia. The SARS virus was first evident in China and then spread to 27 other countries, resulting in many people infected and died worldwide. Now the whole world including China is facing the threat of influenza pandemic. SARS threat seems not to be over yet, because it still remains unclear if the SARS virus is from animal origin. Apart from the newly emerging diseases, China still plagued with old and reemerging diseases with severe health impact. The major ones include, tuberculosis, syphilis and viral hepatitis, each has millions of victims in China.

The purpose of this course is to introduce the new advances of research on these diseases to students, including new knowledge of microbiology, diagnoses, vaccine development and anti-microbial treatment for these diseases. The molecular mechanisms of these different aspects will be specially emphasized.