ABSTRACT
Belle L. Lee University of California, San Francisco, California, U.S.A., and Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Clinical Research, University Hospital, Berne, Switzerland
Laurent A. Decosterd Division of Clinical Pharmacology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
Reinhold Kerb Experimental Medicine, Astra Zeneca, Mo¨lndal, Sweden
Amalio Telenti Institute of Microbiology, University Hospital, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
INTRODUCTION
Genetics is challenging the traditional approach to infectious diseases. Until recently,
research was mostly directed to the analysis of the pathogen and of its virulence factors.
However, we are now in a position to investigate the pathogen in the context of the host
genetic make-up. Concepts, such as colonization versus infection and life-threatening
infection versus contained disease, will be revisited to better define pathogen-specific viru-
lence versus host-specific susceptibility. Thus, genetic susceptibility (Table 1) will be the
initial step in defining the need for treatment, to be completed by analysis of pharmaco-
genetic determinants in order to choose the most effective and least toxic therapy for
the individual patient (Fig. 1).
