| Laboratory research focuses on the (mechanisms of) induction of various inflammatory pathways (cytokines, coagulation, leukocytes) and their function in innate immunity in infectious diseases, in particular bacterial infection and tuberculosis. For this studies are conducted seeking to establish the expression of inflammatory mediators at the site of the infection, both in patients with and in animal models of pneumonia, peritonitis, pyelonephritis, meningitis and pulmonary tuberculosis. A variety of knockout mice are used to study the role of these mediators in host defence, especially strains lacking certain genes for cytokines or mediators of coagulation. The studies on innate immunity in infectious diseases are performed in a well-equipped laboratory that is directly linked to the clinical Department of Infectious Diseases, Tropical Medicine and AIDS. Clinical research projects focus on optimising antimicrobial therapy. The results of a project studying early switch from intravenous to oral treatment has recently been published. Presently a large multicenter trial is ongoing studying the duration of antimicrobial therapy in patients with community acquired pneumonia and type 1 exacerbation's of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. A similar study in patients with infective endocarditis is going to start. |
