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Department of Infectious Diseases

Contact information

(+37410) 65 22 09
infectious_diseases@ysmu.am

History

The department was founded in 1926.

1937 – 1973 the head of the chair was Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor Rafael Manvelyan. From his works are worthy of attention “Dysentery Clinic – Epidemiological Characteristics”, Ph.D. thesis and the same monograph.

1973 – 1988 The Chair was headed by Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor Anushavan Vahan Ghazazyan. He has contributed greatly to the clinical and epidemiological features of diphtheria and the study of effectiveness of disinfectants, mixed infections and diseases.

In 1989 department merged with department of pediatric infectious diseases, headed by Ruben Avag Arakelov /1989 – 1995yy./. Of his works are worthy of attention studies of enzymatic and non-enzymatic steps of fibrinolysis in viral hepatitis.

From 1995 – 2008yy. department was headed by Levon Mkrtich Mkhitaryan. During his leadership the theme of research of the department were: “Pathogenesis of cytopathic syndrome in acute viral hepatitis A and B, chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis and portal fatty hepatosis.” (investigated by lipoperoxidation and antioxidant protection on the erythrocyte membrane model, taking into account the phospholipid structure and the effects of membrane-stabilizing drugs).

2008-2009- Head of the department was Narina Konstantin Sargsyanc.

2009 – 2011 Department of Infectious Diseases of YSMU was combined with Department of Common Epidemiology, headed by Naira Gyulazyan.

2011-2018- Head of the department was PhD, Associate Professor Ara Vardges Asoyan. During that years the clinical base and clinical activities of department had been expanded, ensuring continuous professional training of RA doctors and active involvement of clinical residents in clinical process.A number of international programs have been implemented, including an accredited course for infectious diseases specialists in the city of Yerevan and regions on the topic “Especially Dangerous Infections” with the US Army Center for Infectious Diseases, a textbook of the same name for doctors and nurses has been published. Together with the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Armenia, clinical guidelines and methods for doctors were developed. Over the years, the staff of the department, under the guidance of the head of the department, participated in clinical and epidemiological works on outbreaks of infectious diseases throughout the RA and NKR.

2018 – now, the head of the department is PhD, Associate Professor Vigen Ara Asoyan.

From that time to present, the leading research work theme of the department is “Development and application of the latest approaches to epidemiology, diagnosis, clinical and treatment of intestinal infections in the Republic of Armenia”.

2011 The Department of Infectious Diseases of the National Institute of Health joined the Department of YSMU Infection Diseases headed by Melanya Vahagn Shmavonyan.

From the first day of foundation, the clinical bases of the department were N1 infectious hospital in Yerevan, “Nork” infectious clinical hospital and since 2000 “Armenikum” Clinical Research Center. Currently, Mikaelyan Institute of Surgery, Muratsan University Hospital, National Center of Infectious Diseases and Violeta Medical Center are considered clinical bases.

1998 – 2002 workers of the department participated in the clinical trials of “Armenicum”. One of the topics of the department’s research work was “Chronic Hepatitis C and HIV and Clinical – Epidemiological and Immuno-Pathogenic features in Armenia”.

Teaching and methodogical manuals (Armenian, Russian, English) and national guidelines have been published by the staff of the department such as “Modern approach to diagnosis, treatment and prevention of parasitic infection”, “Measles”, “Rubella”, “Dispensary control of patients with infectious diseases”, “Hepatitis in pregnant women “,” general issues of infectology “,”infectious diseases in the practice of family practitioners “,” national guideline for the prevention and treatment of influenza “,” antiviral treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis B”,”clinical infectology”, “Differential diagnosis of hemorrhagic colitis”, “Differential Diagnosis of Lymphadenopathies”, “Differential Diagnosis of fever”, “Differential diagnosis of jaundice”, “Differential Diagnosis of Tonsillitis”, “Differential Diagnosis of Diarrheas, Differential Diagnosis of exanthemas”, “Differential Diagnosis of Meningitis”, , “HIV infection in children”. 2016 The Handbook of the First Infectious Diseases has been published on “Special Dangerous Diseases”.

Different workers of the department have been awarded for Government Awards and Medals for their high professionalism and professional activity during their working years.

Education

Teaching is conducted in the department in Armenian, Russian, and since 2005 in English. For this purpose, acquisition and creation of educational literature, the English language skills of the employees have been raised to the required level.

In the department the subject is taught for students of general medicine, dentistry and military – medical faculties. The materials of the topics included in the program are provided to students in the form of lectures and practical classes during their course in three languages (Armenian, Russian, English). The lectures are fully complemented by the Power Point program. Their content is revised and updated every year. During the lecture a number of educational films are also shown. The department has a rich library, with over 350 books, educational and methodological manuals, about 30 CDs and DVDs, and VCDs. Practical classess include lectures and clinical case discussions, visits to patients. In the department also actively operates students scientific society, within which many students present essays and reports.

Postgraduate education

Throughout the time of the activity, the Department is engaged in postgraduate education for infectious diseases, family physicians, pediatricians, therapists, stomatologists, epidemiologists, parazitologists, gynecologists, as well as nurses training and specialization. They have different themed short-term and long-term trainings.In recent years, the department has also trained doctors from the Armenian Relief Fund, from border regions of Armenia and Artsakh. The University regularly organizes retraining courses in the provinces and Artsakh.

The department prepares infectious diseases specialists in clinical residency. The main objective of the department is the training of young professionals, with this is involved the whole staff of the department. All the former employees of the department had their contribution on this: V.D. Oganesova, I.A.Abaghyan, N.G. Budaghyan, M.A. Manukyan, P. Berberyan, S.I. Khachatryan, L. Atanesyan and others.

Research work

The range of scientific interests of the department is quite wide

  • Intestinal acute and chronic infections
  • Viral hepatitis
  • Epstein – Barr Viral Infection
  • Special dangerous infections
  • Brucellosis
  • Botulism
  • Leishmaniasis
  • COVID-19

There are scientific works that workers of the department are doing nowadays: “Clinical and epidemiological features of viral mixed hepatitis in Armenia”, “Clinical and epidemiological features of Epstein Barr viral and cytomegaloviral infectious mononucleosis in Armenia”, “Clinicopathogenetic characteristics of rotavirus infection and specific features in different age groups and in combined forms”. “Clinical and laboratory characteristics of acute bacterial intestinal infections ongoing with the colitic syndrome in Armenia”,  “The clinical effectiveness of application of ingavirin in patients with acute EBV infectious mononucleosis”, “ Comparative characteristics of clinical and laboratory indicators of acute bacterial intestinal infections with hemorrhagic colitis syndrome”, “Clinical and epidemiological characteristics of leishmaniasis in Armenia, “Special dangerous diseases”.

For the first time the “Australian antigen”, “Alpha – phetoprotein and phospholipase A” tests were used for diagnostics in clinical practice in Armenia. A patented invention was received by the Eurasian Patent Organization (No.004203, 2004).

Four doctoral and 14 candidate theses have been defended by the department’s staff as well as many scientific articles in leading local and foreign journals, monographs, numerous teaching manuals, national guidelines and textbooks had been published.

2020-2022 the department participated in the SCAUT Horizon 2020 “Matic Lab” research work and the COVID-Antibodies program.

The staff of the department also participates in many international conferences, as participants and speakers as well like in the US, European countries, Russia, Georgia and more. The staff of the department is always invited to present reports on the different international conferences held in the Armenia.

Most of the staff of the department conducts also clinical activity, consultation in different hospitals in Yerevan and marzes as well as in Artsakh.

The workers of the department have repeatedly visited provinces of Armenia and Artsakh for practical assistance during the epdemic outbreaks. They cooperate with different specialists, RA Ministry of Defense also they have active participation in the medical life of Armenia and international scientific programs. The Association of Infectious Diseases of Armenia and the Association of Hepatologists have been funded on the initiative of the department. During the coronavirus pandemic, the staff of the department, under the leadership of the head of the department Vigen Asoyan, performed a large-scale work, carrying out clinical, educational and scientific activities.

Collaboration

The Department of Infectious Diseases has been in close contact with the Rostov Medical University, Moscow Institute of Tropical Medicine and Medical Parasitology named after Marzinovsky, St. Petersburg Medical Postgraduate Specialization University, Department of Infectious diseases at Emory University (USA), Paris Hepatological Department .

Cooperation is continuing with the Department of Infectious Diseases of Moscow State Medical University named after IM Sychenov and the Department of Infectious Diseases of the Russian Academy of Post-graduate Education and also with the US Agency for Dangers Reduction.

The department’s staff has frequently invited to participate in radio and TV medical and other public programs to have a speech and adress issues of infectious diseases concerning population’s interests.

Staff

Name Position in department Academic degree Academic title
Vigen Asoyan head of department PhD Associate   professor
Naira Gyulazyan professor PhD professor
Alvard Hovhannisyan Associate   professor PhD Associate   professor
Melaniya Shmavonyan Associate   professor PhD Associate   professor
Tsoghik Navoyan Associate   professor PhD Associate   professor
Hripsime Magdesieva Senior lecturer PhD Associate   professor
Aregnazan Mkhitaryan Senior lecturer PhD Associate   professor
Lusine Atoyan lecturer PhD
Anna Mkhoyan lecturer PhD
Hripsime Apresyan lecturer
Melanie Kozmoyan lecturer
Suren Brutyan Assistant
Lusine Harutyunyan Assistant
Arevhat Karapetyan Assistant