An Infectious Disease Doctor - Who Is He And What Heals? Appointment

2024 Author: Josephine Shorter | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 21:43

Infectionist

An infectious disease specialist is a doctor who diagnoses, treats, and prevents infectious diseases.

Infectology is a branch of medicine that deals with the study of diseases of infectious origin. There are many of them - infections of the intestines, respiratory system, blood, skin, etc. Therefore, the field of activity of an infectious disease doctor is quite wide.

He is engaged in the identification of infectious diseases, treatment and development of preventive measures aimed at their further non-proliferation among the population. Therefore, it is important for an infectious disease specialist to thoroughly study the specifics of the development of infectious diseases, the mechanisms of their transmission and the clinical course.

In addition, the work of an infectious disease specialist is inextricably linked with the activities of epidemiologists and microbiologists, since any infection that causes a disease occurs due to the ingress of pathogenic microbes into the body.

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Content:

• The main sections of infectology
• What does an infectious disease specialist treat?
• Reception of an infectious disease specialist
• Analyzes and studies prescribed by the infectious disease specialist
• When an appointment with an infectious disease specialist is needed
• When to take a child to an infectious disease specialist?
• Preparing for an appointment with an infectious disease specialist
• Appointment to an infectious disease specialist

The main sections of infectology

To understand the specifics of the work of an infectious disease specialist, it is worth knowing in which areas his knowledge is applicable:

• Therapy of blood infections called vector-borne infections. In this case, insects become the cause of the disease, with a bite of which pathogens of any disease enter the human body.
• Therapy for non-transmissible blood infections. The way of transmission of such diseases is the transfusion of infected blood, the ingress of infected blood during an injection with one syringe, etc.
• Therapy of intestinal infections, when the causative agent of the disease enters the human body by oral route, for example, through dirty hands or food.
• Therapy of skin infections when the pathogen is transmitted by contact.
• Therapy of respiratory tract infections, when a person is infected by airborne droplets.

What does an infectious disease specialist treat?

Diseases that are in the competence of the infectious disease specialist:

• Typhoid - abdominal and typhus;
• Salmonella infection;
• Helminthiasis and malaria;
• Botulism;
• Measles, whooping cough, mumps;
• Malaria;
• Scarlet fever;
• Polio;
• Defeat with adenovirus infection;
• Toxoplasmosis;
• Anthrax;
• All types of hepatitis;
• Flu;
• Plague;
• Cholera;
• Rabies;
• Diphtheria;
• Viral infections that affect the nervous system;

• Foot and mouth disease, etc.

Reception of an infectious disease specialist

At the appointment with a specialist, the patient, first of all, will be faced with a standard survey, the purpose of which is to clarify all the patient's complaints and identify the symptoms that bother him. Gathering an epidemiological history is the next step in a doctor's work. Therefore, you should not be surprised if a doctor will find out the existence of contacts with infected people, ask about recent trips and travels. At the end of the appointment, the doctor will perform a general and physical examination of the patient.

To clarify the diagnosis, the infectious disease specialist may need additional data that he can obtain based on the test results. After that, a specific treatment regimen will be given and recommendations on how to stop the spread of the disease and prevent infection of other people.

In addition, it is sometimes necessary to administer an emergency vaccine to the patient, for example, against tetanus or rabies.

Analyzes and studies prescribed by the infectious disease specialist

• Biochemistry blood test;
• A blood test to detect hepatitis;
• Performing an enzyme immunoassay of blood;
• Performing PCR diagnostics;
• Collection of smear for flora;
• Serologic testing for respiratory or intestinal infections.

When is an appointment with an infectious disease specialist needed?

There can be many reasons for visiting an infectious disease specialist. Pathogenic agents can cause quite serious diseases that threaten human life.

Therefore, if the following symptoms are found, the trip to the doctor cannot be postponed:

• The onset of severe headaches.
• Problems with night rest - lack of sleep, and in the daytime - increased sleepiness.
• The appearance of purulent formations on the mucous membranes.
• The appearance of muscle aches, joint pain.
• The appearance of chronic fatigue.
• Hyperemia of the skin, the appearance of a rash and swelling of the dermis.
• Disorders in the functioning of the digestive system, including: constipation or diarrhea, nausea and vomiting.
• An increase in lymph nodes in size.

When to take a child to an infectious disease specialist?

The growth of infectious diseases is only increasing every year, and this problem affects not only the adult population, but also children. In addition, their immune systems are quite immature, so even a seemingly insignificant infectious disease can lead to serious health problems. If the acute phase remains untreated, the disease can become chronic and ruin the child's quality of life. Often, it is the unfavorable environmental situation that causes the development of an immunodeficiency state.

You should go with your children to see an infectious disease specialist if you have the following problems:

• Any rash on the baby's skin or mucous membranes;
• Symptoms of intoxication of the body - muscle aches, headaches and eye pains;
• Diarrhea;
• Impurities of blood in the stool;
• Vomiting or nausea;
• Icteric tint of the skin;
• Body temperature at around 38 ° C. (Read also: Fever without symptoms in a child)

Preparing for an appointment with an infectious disease specialist

There is no need to prepare for an appointment with this specialist. However, if testing is planned, then you should:

• Refrain from eating for up to 12 hours.
• Do not smoke or consume alcoholic beverages for at least 24 hours.
• Do not take any medicines, if there is an urgent need for this, then the doctor should be aware of what happened.