The Department of Epidemiology as the basic educational and research component of the Faculty of Military Health Sciences (FMHS) is divided into two groups: the epidemiology group and the microbiology, disinfection, disinsection and rodent control group.

The Department of Epidemiology has fulfilled the following main tasks:

It has provided undergraduate education at the FMHS and at the civilian Medical Faculty of Charles University in Hradec Králové, as well as postgraduate training and postgraduate doctoral studies. The teaching activities have been particularly aimed at general and special epidemiology with respect to the topical situation in the Czech Army and in the Czech Republic. The topics of ”Emerging and Reemerging, Infectious Diseases”, “Travel Medicine” and “Dangerous Pathogens” have also been emphasized. Doctoral study programmes (Ph.D. – epidemiology and medical microbiology) are certified by the Czech Governmental Commission. Since 1997, altogether 21 students have finished their Ph.D. studies.

The Department of Epidemiology plays an important role in education, training and consultancy related to biological threats and weapons.

The members of the department participate in training and education of medical and other personnel dispatched in military peacekeeping and humanitarian missions abroad. The aim is to inform them about any health risks during staying abroad, especially about prevention of infectious diseases, possibilities of vaccination or chemoprophylaxis. They also provide both consultancy service prior to the departure abroad and a practical realization of the respective measures. The Department of Epidemiology provides an epidemiological service for the Field Hospitals of the Czech Army.

Research activities have concerned clinical evaluation of the new vaccine like pneumoccocal vaccines, Human Papiloma Virus vaccines, rotavirus vaccines, new adjuvante vaccines against viral hepatitis B, Lyme disease vaccines, combined hepatitis B and typhoid fever vaccines, flu vaccines or new vaccination schedules.

Members of the department are members of different Czech journals editorial boards (e. g. “Epidemiologie, mikrobiologie a imunologie” – prof. Špliňo), and they work as reviewers of international journals. Some of them work in a number of committees and boards: Scientific Board of the Ministry of Health (prof. Špliňo), Czech Immunization Committee of the Ministry of Health (prof. Prymula), or European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (prof. Prymula).

Members of the department are also members of NATO working groups and advisory committees for biological threats and weapons (BIOMEDAC – Biological Medical Advisory Committee – doc. Chlíbek, COMEDS MMT EP (Military Medical Training Expert Panel) – dr. Smetana).
Disinfection, disinsection and rodent control are very important parts of the medical practice in the Czech Army. This department is the only one of its kind in the Czech Army for the assessment of the antimicrobial efficacy of disinfectants.
The researchers of the microbiology group have also solved questions concerning the prevention of endogenous and exogenous infections in immunocompromised patients. They have also joined the European Study Group on Nosocomial Infections.

Research Projects

A phase II, single-blind, randomized, controlled, multicentre vaccination study to evaluate the safety and immune response of the GSK Biologicals Zoster vaccine, gE/AS01B, and to compare 3 doses of gE with AS01B adjuvant in healthy elderly subjects, aged 60 to 69 years and 70 years and above60 to 69 years and 70 years and above
Chlíbek, R., Smetana, J., Kalíšková, E.
Crisis management after the use of biological agents
Macela, A., Prymula, R., Urban, R., Winklerová, Z., Hernychová, L., Lenčo, J.
Interference in immunogenicity of combined vaccine against hepatitis A and B by several risk factors
Chlíbek, R., Smetana, J., Špliňo, M.
LEPTOSPIROSIS - Risk evaluation and new possibilities of detection
Čermáková, Z., Valenta, Z., Fajfr, M., Douda, P., Neubauerová, V., Smetana, J., Navrátilová, L., Kolínková, L., Krejčová, R., Ošťádal, A.
Prophylactic antipyretic treatment in children receiving booster dose of pneumococcal vaccine GSK1024850A and Infanrix hexa and assessment of impact of pneumococcal vaccination on nasopharyngeal carriage
Prymula, R., Chlíbek, R., Hanousek, L., Hrunka, Š., Novák, L., Jarolímek, J., Hanovcová, I.
The efficacy of varicella vaccines in preventing confirmed varicella cases over at least two years after vaccination
Prymula, R., Hanousek, L., Hanousková, B., Hanousková, Š., Hrunka, Š., Jarolímek, J., Novák, L., Chlíbek, R.