Infectious diseases I

The Infectious Disease Discipline was established in 1948, when the Infectious Disease Department became a University Clinic. The first Head of Clinic and Department, Prof. Dr. Vladimir Teodor Buşilă, also considered the founder of the Timişoara’s School of Infectious Pathology, carried out his activity with dedication and passion until September 1973, together with his collaborators: Dr. L. Cucuruz, Dr R. Popian, Dr. I. Vasilescu, Dr. M. Dragomirescu, Dr. R. Alexandrescu, E. Novac, Dr. Doina Stănescu.

While the Romanian school of infectious pathology was dominated by research into the etiology of infections and antibiotic therapy, Prof. Dr. V.T. Buşilă, benefiting from his solid training as a physiologist, is the first to intuit and then research the aspects of pathogenesis, especially of severe forms of whooping cough, tetanus, sepsis, hepatitis and approach the intensive care of critical infections with great competence. Professor Dr. V.T. Buşilă defined himself as one of the greatest infectious disease specialists in the country, recognized not only by his disciples, but also by other schools of Infectious Pathology.

Starting with October 1st, 1977, two Infectious Disease Clinics are established: the Infectious Disease Clinic I- led by Prof. Dr. Mihail Dragomirescu and the Infectious Disease Clinic II, led by Prof. Dr. Iulian Vasilescu.

Prof. Dr. Mihail Dragomirescu, benefiting from consistent preclinical training (in pathophysiology and biochemistry, as a former student and collaborator of professors Ion Cotăescu and Mihai Vanghelovici), introduced numerous techniques of immunological, pathophysiological and biochemical investigation . He initiated the establishment of the intensive care unit, assisted by Dr. Vasile Marțincu, Dr. Emil Novac and Dr. Doina Stănescu. He initiated experimental research into endotoxin shock and tetanus. He supported the creation of a hepatitis clinic. Observations from his clinical experience and experimental research have been the subject of more than 400 scientific papers, communicated or published in the country and abroad (in Italy, France, England, Poland, Sweden, Israel, and Yugoslavia). The main theme of the published works was the promotion of the idea that the pathogen can interfere with the essential metabolic processes of the host, namely the process of glycolysis, energogenesis, organic biosynthesis, the processes of active membrane transfer. He is the signatory of the following monographs: Infectious Shock, Academy Publishing House, 1979, Pathogenesis of Infections, Facla Publishing House, 1980; The field and infection, Ed. Academiei 1988, Infectious process, Ed. Helicon, 1997. In 1989 he organized the 6th National Congress of Infectious Diseases.

At the same time, Prof. Dr. M. Dragomirescu has established himself as an art critic, through conferences, openings and publications: Medicine and Fine Arts, Ed. Facla, 1986, Rhythm and color, Ed. Facla, 1990, The sick dinosaur, Ed. Artpress, 2006. As a consulting professor, he has led and guided many PhD students in the specialties of infectious disease and immunopathology.

With the retirement of Prof. Dr. M. Dragomirescu (1994), the management of the I-Infectious Disease Clinic is taken over by Prof. Dr. Lucian Negruțiu, until 2013. During this period, the research activity of the clinic was oriented towards therapy antiretroviral therapy of HIV / AIDS patients, the diagnosis and treatment of opportunistic infections in these patients and the modern treatment of chronic viral hepatitis, areas in which numerous papers were presented at symposia, national conferences and congresses of infectious diseases attended by members of the team: Associate Professor Dr. Curescu Manuela, Associate Professor Dr. Marincu Iosif, Dr. Cialma Delia Monica and Dr. Ovidiu Roșca. Prof. Dr. Lucian Negruțiu was the president of the Timiş Regional Center for the Fight against AIDS and a member of the National Commission for the Fight against AIDS. He organized several National Infectious Diseases Conferences in Timișoara and published the monograph “News on HIV infection and disease”, Western Publishing House, 2008. Together with the team he led, he completed several clinical studies on cephalosporin therapy, acute bacterial pneumonia, interferon and ribavirin therapy of chronic viral hepatitis, efficacy and safety assessment of prezista in combination with low dose ritonavir and other antiretroviral drugs in HIV-infected patients (A Randomized, Open-Label, Phase III Trial to Compare the Efficacy, Safety and Tolerability of DRV / Rtv (800mg / 100mg) qd Versus DRV / Rtv (600mg / 100mg) bid in Early Treatment-Experienced HIV-1 Infected patients).

Since 2013, the management of the I-Infectious Disease Clinic is taken over by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Marincu Iosif, who through a sustained didactic and scientific activity continues to increase the prestige of the discipline at the Victor Babeș University of Medicine in Timișoara and and to expand scientific collaboration with other national and international university centers.

The didactic activity is currently carried out with the 6th year students of the Faculty of Medicine, specialization of General Medicine and with the 3rd year students that follow the specialization of General Medical Assistance. The courses have been restructured according to the current bibliography of the specialized literature and are presented with the help of modern audio-visual means, facilitating the assimilation of the elements of infectious pathology, with the development of clinical thinking, necessary in solving clinical cases in medical practice. In order for students to become familiar with the methodology of the medical license exam and the residency exam, the written test in the exam sessions is conducted using multiple choice questions. The final year students benefit from the scientific guidance and coordination necessary for the completion of the medical license.

The Infectious Disease I team is also concerned with the theoretical and practical training of residents in infectious disease, internal medicine, family medicine, epidemiology and other clinical specializations. For doctors in the county and the territories around Timiș County, numerous postgraduate courses on various topics in infectious pathology are regularly organized to update the diagnostic and treatment elements necessary in current medical practice.

Scientific research is continuing in the field of clinical and biological monitoring of HIV/AIDS patients under antiretroviral therapy, antibiotic treatment of acute bacterial meningitis, respiratory diseases, digestive diseases, urinary tract infections, modern antiviral and immunomodulatory treatment of acute and chronic hepatitis viral etiology, the role of immunoenzymatic markers in the diagnosis of acute and chronic hepatitis of viral etiology, diagnosis and treatment of opportunistic infections in HIV/AIDS patients, diagnosis and antiviral treatment of influenza patients, diagnosis and treatment of eruptive diseases in adulthood, etc. The scientific work carried out by the clinic staff is communicated at numerous national and international symposia and conferences or published in specialized journals.

In 2021, the Methodological and Research Center for Infectious Diseases (CMCBI) was established with the headquarters in the First Clinic of Infectious Diseases under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Marincu Iosif. At the level of the Research Center, all doctoral students who approach topics in infectious pathology for the completion of doctoral theses are guided and coordinated. The research results were published in numerous international ISI journals with Impact Factor between 2-4.94. We would like to co-opt in this research core other members from other disciplines within the University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Victor Babeș” Timisoara or other university centers in the country, along with resident doctors who are passionate about medical research in infectious pathology.