人类重要病原体基因组工程和分子致病机理——21世纪有关“人口与健康”的一个关键问题

GENOME PROJECT OF HUMAN PATHOGENS AND MOLECULAR PATHOGENESIS

本文论述了21世纪危害人类的几种传染病的研究现状及进展,认为严重病毒分子致病机理研究及重要病原体基因组工程是传染病基础研究中的2个关键问题。

Facing the 21st century, emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, especially viral diseases, still serious threaten human health. Despite of the elimination of smallpox and the almost eradication of poliomyelitis in the last decades, however, more than 30 new microbial pathogens and communicable diseases have been identified. At the same time, after many years of decline in incidence, diseases such as yellow fever have re-emerging as public health threats in Africa and South America. Re-emerging tuberculosis is spreaded all over the world. Fighting against these emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases by using modern biotechnology is one of the top priorities of both national governments and scientists. At present analysis of entire genome sequence of human pathogens have become a research hotspot in the field of life science after implementation of human genome project. About 24 entire microbial genome sequences have been published. The gene mutation of the pathogenic microbe is a fundamental base for its variation in pathogenesis; therefore, very important data can be obtained from genomic-sequence analysis, it seems beneficial to develop the anti-microbe vaccines and drugs. Additionally, it is essential to further strengthen infectious disease surveillance, to develop other effective disease prevention and control measures.