Recent advances in the study, prevention, and treatment of infectious diseases

Along with the rapid progress in molecular biology and computer technology, many changes have occurred in the diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and understanding of infectious diseases. Molecular techniques are taking a more important role both in the diagnosis and in the discovery of etiologic agents. The associations of Helicobacter pylori with gastroduodenal disorders and Chlamydia pneumoniae with atherogenesis have revised contemporary thinking about the pathogenesis of chronic organ and tissue diseases. Vaccination, once a privilege of children, is now being used in adults and is also being tried as a therapeutic modality for chronic diseases. Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) has become pandemic and its toll is devastating. The study of AIDS has not only benefited patients living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, but has also delivered a strong boost to antiviral research. Structure-based drug design was proven useful through the successful development of HIV protease inhibitors and an influenza neuraminidase inhibitor. In the future, the integration of structure-based drug design and combinatorial chemistry should expedite the pace of new drug development. Finally, dissection of human genes related to susceptibility to infectious diseases is a task to be completed in our fight against infectious microorganisms.