Infections and parasitic diseases
The course of infectious and parasitic diseases consists of 30 hours of seminars and 60 hours of
tutorials. It lasts 15 days. The goal of the course is to present state of main infections and parasitic
diseases with special indication on hepatotropic viruses, HIV/AIDS, neuroinfection and children's
infectious diseases. During classes students discuss case reports.
Teachers:
prof. dr hab. Waldemar Halota
dr hab. n. med. Małgorzata Pawłowska, prof. UMK
dr n. med. Dorota Dybowska
dr n. med. Edyta Grąbczewska
dr n. med. Dorota Kozielewicz
dr n. med. Anita Olczak
dr n. med. Małgorzata Sobolewska-Pilarczyk
lek. Kornelia Karwowska
Contact: kikchzak@cm.umk.pl
Syllabus
I. Department of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology
II. Head of the Department of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology:
Professor Waldemar Halota, MD, PhD
III. Faculty of Medicine, Medical Programme, year 5
IV. Coordinator: Professor Waldemar Halota, MD, PhD
V. Cours delivery: seminars, practical lab and hospital session
VI. End-of-course assessment: examination, 5 ECTS points
VII. Number of hours: 30 hours of seminars, 60 hours of classes, total – 90 hours
VIII.Goals:

to discuss the present state of knowledge in epidemiology, with special emphasis on
biological infection sources like hepatotropic viruses, HIV/AIDS, hospital sources,
bioterrorism, etc

to present the methodologies used in diagnostics and treatment of infectious diseases,
including anamnesis, physical examination, interpretation of laboratory tests leading to
the accurate diagnosis and treatment

to present practical methods of isolating patients diagnosed with or suspected of an
infectious disease
1. Course content:

Methods of collecting, storing and transporting material for virological, bacteriological
and serological tests.

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent and molecular diagnostic of infectious diseases.

HIV structure, replication, diagnosis of HIV infection.

Antiretroviral therapy.

Liver structure and functions. Biochemical diagnosis of liver diseases.

Treatment of chronic hepatitis.

Acute liver failure. Hepatorenal syndrome. Cholestasis.

Septic shock, sepsis.

Infectious foodborne diseases. Cholera. Botulism.

Pseudomembranous colitis.

Tick-borne diseases.

Parasitic diseases (taeniases, giardiasis, ascariasis, echinococcosis).

Selected tropical diseases (malaria, yellow fever, haemorrhagic fevers).

Slow virus infections.

Current threats – bioterrorism, SARS, avian influenza and other zoonoses (depending on
current epidemiological issues).
2. Topics for self-study:

Epidemiology of infectious diseases with particular regard to AIDS, hospital-acquired
infections, occupational diseases of infectious etiology.

Infections related to pregnancy, delivery and postnatal period.

Childhood infectious diseases (whooping cough, scarlet fever, varicella and herpes zoster,
mononucleosis, rubella, mumps, enteroviral infections).

Natural history of HIV infection.

HIV infection – course, diagnosis, treatment.

Hepatitis A, B, C, D, E and others.

Chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis.

Differential diagnosis of liver diseases.

Tetanus, gangrene, rabies.

Diagnosis of fever of unknown etiology.

Opportunistic infections.

Prevention of infectious diseases and vaccination schedule.

Typhoid fever and paratyphoid fevers. Typhus fever and other rickettsioses.
Leptospirosis.

Neuroinfections.

Zoonoses (trichinellosis, brucellosis, toxoplasmosis, plague).

Differential laboratory diagnosis of infectious diseases.
3. References

Zakim D., Boyer T.D. Hepatology A textbook of liver disease

Mandell G.L., Douglas R.G., Bennett J.E. Principles and practice of infectious diseases
4. Detailed list of practical skills and confirmation of competence
Practical skills assessment sheet
- Infectious and parasitic diseases
Student’s first name:
Student”s surname:
Year, group:
Academic year:
Practical skills
Management of a patient diagnosed
with or suspected of an infectious
disease:
 isolation,
 physical examination,
 collecting, storing and
transporting diagnostic material.
Date
Approved by
Interpretation of laboratory test
leading to the accurate diagnosis and
treatment.
Preventive measures in case of
exposure to blood-borne infections.
Rules and regulations
A. Nicolaus Copernicus University, Collegium Medicum,
Department of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology
B. Professor Waldemar Halota, MD, PhD
C. Infectious Diseases
Medical Programme
Year 5
Comments
1. In order to pass seminars, practical lab and hospital sessions, the student must attend
timetabled sessions, obtain partial credits in individual hospital wards and gain pass
marks for seminars. The student must come to seminars and practical lab and hospital
sessions punctually. Lateness may result in a failure to pass the sessions.
2. In order to pass practical lab and hospital sessions, the student must actively participate
in timetabled classes. The student shall be equipped with a stethoscope and necessary
stationery.
3. Passing the practical lab and hospital sessions and seminars is a prerequisite for taking
the examination. The students take the oral examination on infectious diseases
immediately after the block has been completed or during the examination period. The
examination must not be taken during the period intended for learning and teaching
activities related to other subjects.
4. In case of an absence through illness or other good cause for which the student has
provided sufficient evidence, the student must do an oral or written test given by the
instructor/tutor. In case of a failure to pass practical lab and hospital sessions held in a
hospital ward, the student is entitled to apply for repeated classes; in case of a fail mark
for the seminar, the student must undertake the assessment again and obtain a pass
mark.
5. Except for stethoscopes and stationery, no personal belongings, in particular food,
textbooks and notebooks are allowed on hospital wards. The students do not need
special footwear or their own protective uniforms. The uniforms are given to the
students on the first day of clinical teaching; the students are required to return the
uniforms after the block is completed. On the first day of clinical teaching, the students
are reminded of health and safety rules and an obligation to comply with
sanitary/hygiene requirements of hospital wards.