The Global Threat of Infections and Robert Koch, Founder of Medical Microbiology and International Scientist

Abstract

Russian-German cooperation in health in the realm of civil society has been sanctioned by the protocol of Sixth Petersburg Dialogue, Dresden, October 2006. This year the 10th anniversary of founding Koch-Mechnikov Forum, a German-Russian non-governmental organization specialized on projects in healthcare with focus on infectious diseases, is being celebrated. One of the main areas of cooperation are infectious diseases, notably, tuberculosis. At this occasion, therefore, is appropriate to remember Robert Koch‚ ‘father of medical microbiology’ and discoverer of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, who has laid the foundations of our approach to fighting infectious diseases. This article describes Robert Koch’s biography, thereby highlighting his major achievements in research, discoveries, methods, and technical innovations. It also provides insight into Koch’s intensive international activities as an epidemiologist and advisor to governments worldwide. His career was highlighted by the award of the Nobel Prize in 1905. The text also pays attention to the intense exchange between Robert Koch and the Russian medical community. Based on recently published materials, the article also provides a list of Russian scientists, who had either studied under Koch’s guidance or had scientific contacts with him, notably the famous Russian infection immunologist, Ilya Mechnikov. The author is the president of Koch-Mechnikov Forum.