[Recent developments in the field of infectious diseases]

A résumé is presented of recent developments in the field of infectious diseases of particular interest of practising physicians. Examples are given to illustrate recent discoveries concerning the frequent misuse of antibiotics, the problem of infections developing in hospitalized patients, the biology of microbial infection, the etiology of well-known illnesses, new infectious diseases, and the development of vaccines. It is evident that the rate at which new and important information is evident that the rate at which new and important information is being reported demands particular effort in medical school teaching to ensure that students learn how to acquire and evaluate new information as well as how to discard ideas which are no longer valid.