Virology

Understand medical viruses and their diagnosis, from HIV and hepatitis to respiratory, haemorrhagic fever and emerging viruses.

Virology covers the viruses that cause human disease and the laboratory methods used to diagnose and monitor viral infections.

You will learn virus structure, replication, genetics and pathogenesis, then laboratory biosafety, specimen collection and diagnostic methods, from rapid tests and serology to PCR, viral load and sequencing. You will also cover antiviral drugs and vaccines.

Systematic virology covers HIV, viral hepatitis, herpesviruses, respiratory viruses, rash illnesses, enteric viruses, arboviruses and haemorrhagic fevers, rabies, oncogenic viruses, prions and emerging threats, along with quality management in the virology laboratory.