Aija ZILEVICA

Professor Aija ZILEVICA University of Latvia Raina bulv. 19 Riga, LV 1586 Latvia Phone: +371 67 399291, +371 29481607 Fax: +371 67 034885 E-mail: aija.zilevica@tos.lv; aija.zilevica@apollo.lv

Born: May 14, 1940

Fields of expertise:

• Microbiology
• Virology
• Immunology
• Antimicrobial Resistance
• Hospital Acquired Infections

Main Research:

Molecular epidemiology of hospital acquired infections. 

Languages: Latvian, Russian, English

Education:

• Medical Academy of Latvia (Faculty of General Medicine), cum laude, 1964
• Dr.med. ( Candidate of Science in former USSR, Ph.D. in Western countries), Latvian Institute of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, 1968
• Dr.habil.med. (Doctor of Science in former USSR), Institute of Virology, Moscow, Russia, 1980

Affiliation:

• Junior Researcher, Institute of Microbiology, Latvian Academy of Sciences, 1968-1972
• Senior Researcher, Institute of Microbiology, Latvian Academy of Sciences, 1972-1973
• Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology, Medical Academy of Latvia, 1974-1975
• Head of Department of Microbiology, Medical Academy of Latvia, 1975-1996
• Professor, Medical Academy of Latvia, 1982-1998
• Head , Laboratory of Microbiology, Hospital of Traumatology, 1995 -
• Professor, Faculty of Medicine, University of Latvia, 1998 -

Honours and Awards:

• Corresponding Member, Latvian Academy of Sciences, 1994
• The Latvian Academy of Sciences Presidium First Award, 1990
• The Latvian Academy of  Innovations and Intellectual Property Prize for the best innovative project, 2000
• The State Emeritus Scientist, 2007

Professional Activities and Memberships:

• Member (Chairman, 1994-2000), Latvian Council of Science Expert Committee for Medicine, 1994-2002
• President, Latvian Association for Medical Microbiologists, 1994 -
• Member of Council, Latvian Association of Chlamydiologists, 1995-
• Member, Habilitation and Promotion Council   , Latvia University of Agriculture, 1997-
• Member,  Habilitation and Promotion Council,University of Latvia, 1998 - 2008
• Head of the Promotion Council, Faculty of Medicine of the University of Latvia, 2009 -
• Expert, 5th Frame Programmes, EC, Brussels, 2000
• Member, European Society for Clinical Microbiology, 1996 -
• Country Representative in European Association for Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, 1999 -
• Task Force Programme Group Leader in Latvia, 2001- 2004
•  

Academic Courses:

Medical Academy of Latvia -

• Medical Microbiology for Medical Students  (192 h), 1974-1998
• Medical Microbiology for Dentists  (106 h), 1979-1992
• Microbiology for Pharmacy Students (144 h), 1976-1980
• Medical Microbiology for Nurses (140 h), 1993-1998

University of Latvia -

• Microbiology for Optometrists (64 h), 1994 -
• Microbiology for Medical Students (144 h), 1998 -
• Microbiology for Magisters of Biology (64 h), 1998 - 2000
• Medical Microbiology . A part (66 h), 2006 -
• Medical Immunology. B part (44 h), 2006 -
• Medical Microbiology and Virology. A part (66 h), 2006 -

International University Centre, Florence -

• Microbiology for Dentists , 1994 - 1995

University of Perugia, Italy (Socrates) BIOTECHUNTE project

• Medical Microbiology, Virology, 2002 -

 

Academic Publications:

Total number ~350, including 3 monographs.

Monographs:

• U.Viesturs, I.Smite, A.Zilevica. Biotehnologie: Agenti Biotehnologici, Tehnolgii Aparatura, 1991, Bucuresti: Editura Ceres, 288 pp.(in Romanian).
• U.Viesturs, I.Szmite, A.Zilewicz. Biotechnologia - Substancje Biologicznie Czynne, Technologia, Aparatura, 1992, Warszawa: Wydawnicstwa Naukowo-Techniczne, 224 pp. (in Polish).
• A.Zilevica, D.Rinkuza, U.Viesturs. Microorganisms and Viruses: Morphological, Physiological and Antigenic Properties, 1992, Riga: Zinatne, 272 pp. (in Russian).

Text Book:

• A.Bluger, A.Zilevica, I.Novicki. Infections Diseases and Methods of Laboratory Diagnosis, 1980, Leningrad: Academy of Sciences, 174 pp. (in Russian).

Papers:

• A.Zilevica, H.Grante, D.Bondare, R.Treimane. Human primary peripheral blood monocyte cultures: the effect of 1,25 (OH)₂ D₃ and interleukin-2. - Acta Medica Baltica, 1996, N 3, pp. 211-217.
• D.Bondare, A.Zilevica, I.Strozha, et al. Interferon alpha therapy in chronic myeloid leukaemia with detection of bci/abl transcripts. - Proc. Latv. Acad. Sci., 1998, vol. 52, N 3/4, pp. 102-107.  
• A.Zilevica, I.Vingre, U.Viesturs. Monitoring of hospital infection by epidemiological methods and biotechnological typing of causative organisms. - Abstr. 5th Int. Symposium on Envir. Biotechnol., Kyoto, Japan, CD-ROM, pp. 1069-1070.
• I.Ancupane, A.Miltins, V.Miltins, A.Zilevica. Tendency in the spread of syphilis among the population of Latvia (1900-1997). - Acta medicohistorica Rigensia, Riga, 2000, pp. 149-157.
• A.Zilevica, I.Vingre. Update in Staphylococcal infections. - Scientific Papers, Medic. Fac.,  LU, 2001, vol. 4, 631, pp. 125-134.
• A.Zilevica, I.Vingre. Methicillin resistance in Staphylococci. - Scientific Papers, Medic. Fac., LU, 2001, vol. 4, 643,  pp. 268-274.
• A.Zilevica. Infectious factors and human health. Results of five years research in Latvia. - IAMP. Confronting Infections, Antibiotic Resistance, and Bioterrorism around the World, 2002, Elsevier, pp. 147-148.
• A.Zilevica. Human health and environment. - LU Scientific Papers, 2004, pp. 183-191.
• A.Zilevica, U.Viesturs. Modelling of the etiological structure of urinary tract infections. - Proc. Int. Symposium "Bioprocess Systems", Oct. 25-26, 2005, Sofia, Bulgaria, pp. III.I - III.6.
• A.Zilevica, U.Viesturs. Integrative models for optimization of infectious disease surveillance. - Proc. Int. Symposium "Bioprocess Systems", Oct. 25-26, 2005, Sofia, Bulgaria, pp. III.7 - III.12.
• U.Viesturs, A.Zilevica, J.Stabulnieks. Lettonie: de la recherche à l'application. - Biofutur, 2005, N 257, pp. 41-45.
• A.Zilevica, T.Tracevska. Biotechnological methods for precise diagnosis of methicillin resistance in Staphylococci. - Bioautomation, 2005, vol. 2, pp. 54-64.
• A.Zilevica, R.Treimane, U.Viesturs. Extracellular polysaccharide production and biofilm formation by coagulaser-negative Staphylococci. -  Bioautomation, 2006, vol. 4, pp. 41-45.
• S.Isajevs, A. Zilevica, J.Markovs, et al. Diagnostic value of histological and microbiological screening in etiopathogenesis of recurrent and hypertrophic tonsillitis. - Bioautomation, 2006, vol. 5, pp. 49-56.
• U.Viesturs, A.Zilevica. The knowledge flow and commercialisation along the continuous chain: education - research - implementation by innovative methods. - In: Modern Multidisciplinary Aplied Microbiology, 2006, Wiley-VCH Verlag: Badajoz, Spain, pp. 261-264.
• A.Zilevica, R.Treimane. Nosocomial infections. Etiology of surgical site infections. -   LU Raksti. Medicina, 2008, 735, pp.130-135.
• Dz.Ozolins, I.Hartmane, I.Mikazans, D.Paegle, I.Ancupane, A.Zilevica. Optimized routines for monitoring of treated late syphilis patients. -  Proc. Latv. Acad. Sci., 2009, vol. 62, N 6, pp. 209-214.  
• U.Viesturs, A.Zilevica. Higher education and entrepreneurship in achieving a knowledge-based economy. - In: 20 Jahre Europäischen Akademie der Wissenschaften und Künste. Festshrift. Volume 13 / Eds. - Maria Eder & Felix Unger/, Edition Weimar: Salzburg, 2009, pp. 429-440.
• A.Zilevica. Hospital-acquired and community acquired uropathogens, modelling of infection. - Bioautomation  (in press).

Research projects:

• A.Zilevica (Head of National Program). Human Health and Environment: Infectious and Other Risk Factors. Latvian Council of Science (1997-2001).
• A.Zilevica (Head of Project). Interferonotherapy of Chronic Myeloid Leucosis. Latvian Council of Science (1997-2000).
• A.Zilevica (Head of Project). Antimicrobial Susceptibility of Microorganisms Causing Bacteremia and Urinary Tract Infection. Latvian Council of Science (2001 - 2003).
• A.Zilevica (Head of Subproject). Genetical Mechanisms of Antimicrobial Resistance and Molecular Epidemiology of Pathogens in Hospitals in Latvia. Latvian Council of Science (2002 - 2006).
• A.Zilevica (Head of Project). Identification of Virulence Factorsof Some Clinically Significant Pathogens. Latvian Council of Science (2004 - 2007).
• A.Zilevica (Head of Project). Staphylococcal Colonization and ESBL Production. Latvian Council of Science (2006-2010).
• A.Zilevica (Head of Project). Latvian Educational Program on Antimicrobial Resistance and Infections in Health Care Settings. Task Force, Council of the Baltic Sea States (2002-2004).
• A.Zilevica. BIOTECHUNTE project (Erasmus), (2004-2007).
• Microbial Adaptation to  Convironmental Changes. Project EUROBIOTECH Agr. Nr 2007-2566/001-001, project Nr 134310-LLP-1-IT -ERASMUS-ENV. WP9. (2007-2010)

Last update 22.11.2010