What diseases are treated by an infectious disease specialist?

Infectology is a medical branch that studies diseases caused by a particular infection, the main specialist of which is an infectious disease doctor. And now we will try to figure out what an infectious disease specialist treats, what diseases are under his jurisdiction, and when an adult should see such a specialist, and when a child should see one.

Sections of infectology

Infectology is one of the most extensive branches of medicine, as there are many types of infections. Therefore, before we begin to find out what diseases an infectious disease specialist treats, we should find out what infections this branch studies and how they can get into the human body.

1. Transmissible blood infections enter the body through insect bites.
2. Non-transmissible blood infections are introduced into the body through contaminated blood, that is, through transfusion of “bad” blood, double use of a syringe, and the like.
3. Intestinal infections enter the human body exclusively through the oral route, that is, through unwashed foods and dirty hands.
4. Skin infections are transmitted through contact with their carrier.
5. Respiratory tract infections are transmitted by airborne droplets, so for them to enter the body it is enough to be in the same room with the carrier of the infection.

What does an infectious disease specialist do?

Having learned about the types of infections, let us, before finding out in detail what an infectious disease specialist treats, find out what this doctor actually does, what his responsibilities are, what he should do and what is outside his jurisdiction.

1. He provides medical care to patients who come to him with complaints of an infectious disease, including emergency care.
2. Engaged in the diagnosis of infectious diseases using various modern techniques.
3. Prescribes various medications to the patient to treat the disease and monitors their effect and possible side effects.
4. Conducts consultations and anti-epidemic measures that are designed to prevent the spread of infectious diseases among healthy people.

What does an infectious disease specialist treat in adults?

Now let’s move on to a detailed list of diseases that an infectious disease doctor can treat:

• rabies, which without treatment is absolutely fatal;
• botulism caused by the bacterium botulinum, which is found in expired canned food;
• chicken pox, which in adults is very, very difficult;
• viral hepatitis types A, B, C and others;
• hemorrhagic fever, including the type that negatively affects the kidneys;
• influenza and parainfluenza, which is caused by an influenza virus that has a certain number of serotypes;
• diphtheria, manifested by the formation of plaque on the tonsils;
• measles and rubella, including a mixture of these two diseases;
• meningococcal infection, which can be fatal;
• erysipelas, affecting the skin and its deeper layers;
• cholera caused by the bacterium Vibrio Cholerae;
• dysentery, which occurs in 80 million people a year, and in 70 thousand cases it ends in death;
• helminthiasis - diseases caused by parasites;
• typhoid fever is a disease transmitted by the oral-fecal route;
• any types of encephalitis;
• syphilis, chlamydia and gonorrhea, that is, sexually transmitted diseases;
• plague, tuberculosis, anthrax and tetanus.

What does an infectious disease specialist treat in children?

In turn, a pediatric infectious disease doctor treats diseases such as:

• various types of herpes;
• mumps, measles, rubella;
• diphtheria, scarlet fever, sore throat;
• meningitis, which is less painful in children than in adults;
• whooping cough, parawhooping cough;
• any type of acute intestinal infection caused by poisoning;
• helminthiasis and enterovirus infections.

When should an adult contact an infectious disease specialist?

But even though we now know what diseases an infectious disease doctor treats, we cannot find out whether we have them, so we can only carefully monitor our well-being and be sure to consult a specialist if we have certain symptoms.

1. Severe headaches will often occur.
2. You will constantly suffer from insomnia at night, and drowsiness during the day.
3. Purulent formations will appear on the mucous membranes.
4. You will constantly feel pain in your joints and aching muscles.
5. Chronic fatigue does not stop.
6. Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or abdominal pain does not stop for a long time.
7. There is an increase in lymph nodes.
8. Itching, redness or swelling of the skin does not go away.
9. You have been bitten by an animal or insect.
10. Bloody discharge appeared not during menstrual syndrome.
11. The discharge has a disgusting foul odor, a cheesy or purulent appearance, and a mucous or foamy consistency.

When to contact an infectious disease specialist with your child

We have also now learned that an infectious disease doctor treats children, but children’s infectious diseases cannot be clearly diagnosed either. This means that parents should be very attentive to their children and, if they notice certain symptoms, immediately go to the doctor.

1. The appearance of rashes of any type on the mucous membranes or skin of the child.
2. The occurrence of symptoms of intoxication of the body - headaches or eye pains or a feeling of aching muscles.
3. Constant diarrhea.
4. There are blood particles in the stool.
5. The skin has acquired a yellowish tint.
6. Body temperature stays at 38°C for a long time.

Preparing to visit an infectious disease doctor

And now, when we have found out exactly what a pediatric infectious disease doctor treats and what an adult treats, and we have also figured out the symptoms that should be addressed to a doctor, we should understand the rules for visiting this specialist. The fact is that before going to such a doctor, you need to prepare in advance.

1. You should not eat anything 12 hours before your doctor's appointment.
2. The day before visiting an infectious disease specialist, you should not drink alcohol or smoke.
3. The day before your visit to the doctor, you do not need to take any medications, but if this becomes necessary, you should tell the doctor about the medication you took.
4. Take a general blood test and do fluorography.

How does an appointment with an infectious disease specialist work?

Now let's take a closer look at how and what an infectious disease specialist treats in a clinic, where you will need to come for an appointment with this specialist. Of course, in fact, in the clinic the doctor will not treat the patient in any way; here he will only examine the patient and conduct an initial consultation.

First of all, the doctor will examine all your complaints about illness and symptoms of the disease, and will also check with you whether you have visited epidemiological zones or been in contact with infectious patients.

If necessary, the doctor will tell you how to prevent further development of the disease and prevent the infection from spreading to the patient’s family and friends. Also, at the first appointment, if necessary, the doctor vaccinates the patient against tetanus or rabies.

Diagnosis of an infectious disease

After we have found out what an infectious disease specialist treats, let’s find out in more detail what methods of studying the body he can use in order to diagnose the presence of a particular disease.

1. A blood test is taken for biochemistry.
2. A blood test is taken to detect hepatitis.
3. An immunochromatographic analysis is taken, which will determine the concentration of certain substances in a certain biological material.
4. PCR diagnostics of the body is carried out.
5. A functional diagnosis of the body is carried out, that is, ultrasound, ECG or X-ray, which allows us to determine the current state of the patient’s internal organs.
6. A culture or smear of flora is taken from the patient’s genitals or nasopharynx.
7. Serological tests are carried out to detect intestinal and respiratory infections.

Treatment of an infectious disease

And finally, after finding out what an infectious disease specialist treats and how he makes a diagnosis, let’s find out how the disease itself is treated. Actually, here you need to understand that the process of healing from an infectious disease is the fight against its specific pathogens, that is, an infection or a virus.

Most often, the patient requires urgent assistance in the form of symptomatic treatment in the form of oral administration of dehydration salts or intravenous administration of isotonic solutions. Such procedures are prescribed by an infectious disease specialist to combat dehydration, vomiting and nausea.

The doctor may also prescribe gastric lavage to the patient and antitoxic therapy, which will help remove toxins from the body.

In addition, based on the results of diagnostics and tests, the infectious disease specialist may prescribe the use of anthelmintic drugs or antiviral, antifungal or antibacterial therapy, after which the causative agents of the disease will be completely destroyed. Well, if the test results indicate that the patient can infect others, then the infectious disease specialist places him in quarantine.

Prevention of infectious diseases

And in order for us to never have to find out what an infectious disease specialist is treating for children or adults, we just need to follow the doctors’ recommendations and not give the infection even the slightest chance to enter the body and then lead to the development of the disease.

1. Immunoprophylaxis should be carried out in a timely manner, that is, preventive vaccinations.
2. We must try to constantly increase the body's resistance to various viruses and infections by strengthening the immune system.
3. You need to take vitamins that will make your body stronger and healthier.
4. You need to wash your hands thoroughly after going outside, do not eat unwashed vegetables and fruits, and also try to buy only high-quality products.
5. You should limit contact with patients with infectious diseases, especially during epidemics, trying to wear a gauze bandage and avoid crowded places.
6. The most important thing is that you should be vaccinated in a timely manner so as not to become infected.

If, despite the precautions taken, you notice at least one symptom of an infectious disease, you need to urgently contact an infectious disease doctor, because if the disease is detected at an early stage, it is much easier to cure it.

Source: https://www.syl.ru/article/381824/vrach-infektsionist-chto-lechit-kakie-zabolevaniya-diagnostiruet-kogda-obraschatsya-k-vrachu-infektsionistu

Infectious disease specialist

An infectious disease specialist is a doctor who specializes in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of infectious diseases.

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Infectious diseases include diseases caused by microscopic harmful organisms that have entered the body and are transmitted from a sick person to a healthy person.

An infectious disease specialist deals with:

• providing medical care to patients with pathologies of an infectious nature, including the provision of ambulance and emergency care;
• specific diagnosis of infectious diseases using modern research methods;
• monitoring adverse reactions and effects of medications;
• carrying out anti-epidemic measures;
• conducting consultations with patients.

Since infectious diseases can be caused by viruses, bacteria, pathogenic fungi and helminths, an infectious disease doctor works closely with doctors of other specialties and the sanitary-epidemiological service.

An infectious disease specialist treats a wide range of diseases, which can be divided into several groups:

• intestinal infections, in which the pathogen enters the intestines through the mouth during food intake, is carried by unwashed hands, etc.;
• vector-borne blood-borne diseases that cause insect bites (mosquitoes, fleas, ticks, etc.);
• non-transmissible blood poisoning, in which the spread of diseases occurs through the use of contaminated needles, medical instruments or household items (razors, toothbrushes, etc.);
• infectious diseases of the respiratory tract, in which the pathogen enters the body through airborne droplets or through the use of common household items;
• skin infections that spread through contact;
• STDs (sexually transmitted diseases).

The names of many diseases correspond to the name of the pathogen that causes these diseases.

An infectious disease specialist treats such fairly common intestinal diseases as:

• Salmonellosis. This disease is caused by Salmonella, which is one of the four main causative agents of acute intestinal infections in humans. Salmonellosis, which is diagnosed annually in every tenth person in the world, is characterized by intoxication and damage to the gastrointestinal tract.
• Dysentery, which is caused by Shigella, is a genus of rod-shaped gram-negative bacteria. WHO estimates that 80 million people are diagnosed with dysentery each year, and about 700,000 cases are fatal. Dysentery is characterized by damage to the gastrointestinal tract (mainly the colon) and a general intoxication syndrome, which is caused by endotoxins (some types of Shigella also produce enterotoxins and neurotoxins).
• Botulism, which develops when botulinum toxin, a protein neurotoxin produced by the bacteria Clostridium botulinum that multiplies in the absence of oxygen, enters the body with food, water or aerosols. This powerful poison causes damage to the nervous system, disturbances in the functioning of the nerve centers of the heart and skeletal muscles. As a result of disruption of muscle innervation, acute respiratory failure occurs.
• Helminthiases, which are parasitic diseases of humans. The human body can be inhabited by nematodes, flat and annelid worms, as well as acanthocephalans (more than 400 species of helminths in total). About a billion people in the world suffer from helminth infections. Most helminths are not able to reproduce in the human body and require intermediate hosts. Infection usually occurs by eating food and through water, but some species penetrate the skin (schistosomiasis and hookworm disease) or are transmitted transmissibly (filariasis). The source of infection can be humans or animals.
• Cholera, which is prevalent mainly in developing countries (WHO estimates there were 3-5 million cases of the disease in 2010). This acute intestinal disease is caused by the bacteria Vibrio cholerae (there are about 150 serological variants), which are spread through the fecal-oral route. Cholera is epidemic. Once ingested, Vibrio cholerae affects the small intestine, causing watery diarrhea, vomiting, and rapid loss of fluid and electrolytes, which can lead to hypovolemic shock and death.
• Typhoid fever. This cyclical acute intestinal infection is caused by the bacteria Salmonella typhi, transmitted by the fecal-oral route. Typhoid fever is characterized by fever, general intoxication, roseola-type rashes, enlargement of the liver and spleen, as well as specific damage to the lymphatic system of the small intestine in its lower section.

An infectious disease specialist also treats diseases transmitted by insect bites:

• Malaria or “swamp fever”, which is a group of diseases transmitted by the bites of female mosquitoes of the genus Anopheles (there are tropical, three-day and four-day malaria, as well as oval malaria). The causative agent is parasitic protists that enter the human blood or lymph during blood sucking. The disease is characterized by fever, chills, enlarged liver and spleen, anemia and a relapsing course.
• Typhoid (typhus and relapsing). Typhus is caused by rickettsia, an intracellular parasite transmitted by body lice. This type of typhus is characterized by specific rashes, fever and damage to the cardiovascular and nervous systems. Can be epidemic or endemic. Relapsing fever is caused by spirochetes of the genus Borrelia, which are transmitted by lice and ticks. Relapsing fever is characterized by short-term chills, a feeling of heat, high fever, headaches and muscle pain, nausea and vomiting. Rashes appear at the height of an attack of fever (usually there are two of them with lice-borne typhus and four with tick-borne typhus), the spleen and liver become enlarged, and jaundice may develop. Bronchitis, pneumonia, and signs of heart damage may occur.
• Tularemia is a focal infection caused by the small bacterium Francisella tularensis. The pathogen can enter the human body through contact with animals during hunting, through consumption of contaminated food products, sometimes by aspiration during the processing of grain products, but most often it is spread by blood-sucking insects. Patients present with intoxication, fever, and lymph nodes are affected.
• Yellow fever is an acute disease transmitted by mosquito bites, which is characterized by fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, pain in the back and limbs, icteric discoloration of the skin, puffiness and a red tint to the face. The causative agent is Viscerophilus tropicus, an arbovirus from the flavivirus family.
• Encephalitis, which is a group of diseases characterized by inflammation of the brain. It can be primary and secondary, viral and microbial, toxic, infectious-allergic and tick-borne. Tick-borne encephalitis is caused by the neurotropic tick-borne encephalitis virus, the reservoir and vector of which are ixodid ticks. The patient has fever, intoxication, severe headaches, general weakness, nausea, sleep disturbances, hyperemia of the skin in the upper part of the body and redness of the sclera.
• Plague. This acute, highly contagious disease belongs to the natural focal group of quarantine infections. It occurs in severe form and is accompanied by fever, damage to the lungs and other internal organs, as well as lymph nodes. It has a high mortality rate. The total number of cases annually is about 2.5 thousand people. The causative agent of plague is the plague bacillus, and the reservoir of infection is rodents, camels, lagomorphs and cats. Various types of fleas carry the infection.

An infectious disease doctor also treats various hepatitis and AIDS (non-transmissible blood-borne diseases).

In addition, an infectious disease specialist treats diseases that are caused by:

• pneumococci (otitis, pneumonia, pleurisy, purulent pneumococcal meningitis, arthritis, endometritis);
• mycoplasmas (urethritis, bacterial vaginosis, inflammation of the uterus and appendages, pyelonephritis);
• chlamydia (urethritis, endometritis, salpingoophoritis, salpingitis, prostatitis, orchiepididymitis, chlamydial pneumonia of newborns, etc.);
• Haemophilus influenzae (purulent meningitis, pneumonia, cellulitis, septicemia, epiglottitis, pericarditis, sinusitis, purulent arthritis, etc.);
• legionella (legionnaires' disease);
• mycobacteria (tuberculosis, leprosy, mycobacteriosis).

An infectious disease specialist also diagnoses and treats common respiratory tract infections - measles, tonsillitis, scarlet fever, mumps, whooping cough, influenza, respiratory viral diseases and the less common diphtheria.

It is the infectious disease doctor who treats streptococcal and staphylococcal skin diseases, as well as:

• Poliomyelitis is an infantile spinal paralysis caused by the poliovirus, which attacks the gray matter of the spinal cord. It is a highly contagious disease.
• Rabies is a particularly dangerous fatal disease that is caused by the Rabies virus, which penetrates into the bulbar centers of the brain. The virus enters the body through a bite along with the saliva of a sick animal.
• Tetanus is an acute bacterial disease that spreads through contact and is not contagious to others. The causative agent is a spore-forming gram-positive rod, which is an anaerobic bacterium (lives in an oxygen-free environment).
• Foot and mouth disease is an acute viral disease caused by an RNA-containing picornavirus. Mostly animals are sick, and people are infected in most cases by consuming raw milk from sick animals and its processed products. Infection is possible through consumption of meat from sick animals and transmission of the virus by airborne droplets or contact when caring for animals, or intra-laboratory infection.
• Anthrax is a dangerous infectious disease of animals and humans, which occurs in humans mainly in the carbunculous form. The causative agent is the large gram-positive spore-forming bacillus Bacillus anthracis. The source of infection is sick animals.
• Gas gangrene is a disease caused by the growth and reproduction of clostridial microflora in the tissues of the body (occurs only in the absence of oxygen). Infection occurs when clostridia that live in soil and dust get into wounds.
• Erysipelas is an acute and recurrent disease caused by group A beta-hemolytic streptococcus.

Among sexually transmitted infections, an infectious disease specialist treats syphilis, chlamydia and gonorrhea.

A pediatric infectious disease specialist is a doctor who is consulted when:

• herpetic infection;
• acute viral hepatitis;
• measles, rubella and mumps;
• enteroviral infections;
• tonsillitis and scarlet fever;
• diphtheria;
• whooping cough and parawhooping cough;
• acute intestinal infections;
• meningococcal infection;
• helminthiasis;
• HIV infections.

A pediatric infectious disease specialist is needed if the child has:

• diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, jaundice, fever and dehydration;
• high temperature, which is accompanied by a deterioration in general condition, pain and aching muscles, various rashes on the skin and mucous membranes.

Consultation with an infectious disease specialist is necessary in cases where the patient suffers from:

• high temperature;
• severe headaches;
• purulent formations on the mucous membranes;
• chronic fatigue;
• sleep disturbances and night sweats;
• nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, lack of appetite;
• various rashes on the body.

The infectious disease specialist also consults patients with enlarged lymph nodes, redness, itching and swelling of the skin.

This specialist is also necessary for people who have suffered animal or insect bites.

In addition, an infectious disease specialist is contacted for a certificate. A certificate from an infectious disease specialist is needed by the guardianship authorities for adoption, to donate blood, to undergo a military medical commission, to the maternity hospital for certain pathologies of pregnancy, for IVF, etc.

For a certificate, you should apply with the results of tests that are necessary for a specific case (for example, for IVF, the results of general blood and urine tests, biochemical blood tests, ELISA, HIV, RW, fluorography are required, and for a military medical commission - the results of tests for HIV and viral hepatitis B and C).

An infectious disease doctor works in an infectious diseases hospital.

Initial consultation includes:

• Studying the patient's complaints and history. The infectious disease specialist clarifies not only the nature and duration of the disease, but also the epidemiological history (contacts with infected people, visits to endemic areas, etc.)
• Physical examination and general examination.
• Ordering additional examinations.

• If necessary, the doctor refers the patient for emergency vaccination (if there is a possibility of developing tetanus or rabies) and gives recommendations to prevent the development of an infectious disease in the patient himself or in those around him.
• For the initial examination, it is advisable to have the result of a general blood test and fluorography with you.
• Based on the results of the initial examination, the infectious disease specialist refers the patient to:

• General clinical examinations (blood, urine and stool tests).
• A blood test for antibodies, since in almost all infectious diseases it is possible to identify the level of immunoglobulins to the infectious agent or its parts (the level of immunoglobulins G confirms the presence of infection in the body, and the level of immunoglobulins M allows you to determine how acute the disease is).
• PCR analysis demonstrating the reproduction activity of an infectious agent in the body.
• Immunoblot is a laboratory test for the presence of antibodies to HIV in blood serum.
• An immunochromatographic analysis that allows one to detect the concentration of certain substances in biological materials.
• Blood chemistry.
• Serological testing to detect intestinal and respiratory infections.
• Functional diagnostics (ultrasound, ECG, X-ray), which helps determine the condition of internal organs.
• Smears and culture of flora from the nasopharynx or genitals.

Before taking the tests, you should not eat, drink alcohol, smoke, or take medications for 12 hours (if you need to take certain medications, you should inform your doctor about this).

Treatment of infectious diseases is the fight against a specific pathogen.

Since many infectious diseases require urgent care, the infectious disease specialist often first begins symptomatic treatment (oral administration of a solution of rehydration salts or intravenous administration of isotonic solutions to combat dehydration, gastric lavage and antitoxic therapy to combat toxins, etc.).

Based on the results of the tests, depending on the pathogen identified, antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal therapy or anthelmintic drugs are prescribed.

Since many infectious diseases are epidemic in nature, an infectious disease doctor has to monitor the rate of spread of the disease, purposefully identify sick people and, if necessary, impose quarantine.

Found a mistake? Select it and press Ctrl + Enter

A bacteriologist is a doctor who classifies and identifies pathogens of bacterial infections, studies the mechanisms of development of these infections and develops treatment methods and specific prevention.

A virologist is a doctor who studies the nature of viruses pathogenic to humans, and also develops methods for diagnosing, treating and preventing the diseases they cause.

A parasitologist is a doctor who diagnoses and treats diseases that develop when helminths and other parasites enter the human body.

Source: https://liqmed.ru/doctor/infekcionist/

What diseases does an infectious disease specialist treat and when should you contact him?

Diseases that occur when viruses, bacteria, parasites and fungi enter the body are called infectious. Who is an infectious disease specialist, what is the specialist’s competence, and in what cases should you consult a doctor?

An infectious disease specialist is involved in the diagnosis and treatment of viral, bacterial and fungal diseases transmitted from a sick person to a healthy person.

What does an infectious disease specialist do?

A specialist who diagnoses and treats infectious diseases transmitted from a sick person or animal to a healthy person is called an infectious disease specialist.

The doctor's responsibilities include:

• Consulting and treatment of patients with pathologies of an infectious nature, including the provision of emergency and first aid;
• Diagnosis of infectious diseases using various research methods;
• Monitoring patients undergoing treatment (monitoring adverse reactions, effects of medications on the patient);
• Carrying out anti-epidemic measures.

An infectious disease doctor is engaged in identifying and studying viruses, bacteria, fungi and other pathogenic microorganisms that cause a particular infectious disease. In addition, the specialist’s competence includes issues of vaccination of the population.

Due to the large number and variety of infectious pathologies, the doctor must know the specifics of all related medical fields. Therefore, an infectious disease specialist can be called a generalist who understands a huge range of infectious diseases, the mechanisms of their development, the causes of infection and the symptoms of pathologies.

Note! An infectious disease specialist works closely with other medical specialists, as well as employees of the sanitary and epidemiological service.

In practice, there are two types of infectious disease specialists - children's and adults. This division is due to the fact that most infectious diseases develop and manifest differently in people of different age categories.

Thus, an infectious disease immunologist deals with patients who are often exposed to infectious diseases against the background of reduced immunity, an infectious disease hepatologist treats patients with various forms and types of hepatitis, an infectious disease parasitologist specializes in pathologies caused by helminths and ticks, an infectious disease epidemiologist predicts outbreaks of epidemics and is vaccinating the population.

What infectious diseases does the doctor treat?

The list of infectious diseases that an infectious disease specialist deals with is quite wide. A specialist is consulted for the following pathologies of an infectious nature:

• Dysentery;
• Helminthiases;
• Cholera;
• Botulism;
• Salmonellosis;
• Typhoid fever.

1. Vector-borne diseases caused by insect bites:

• Typhus and relapsing fever;
• Tularemia;
• Plague;
• Malaria;
• Encephalitis;
• Yellow fever.

1. Infectious pathologies of the respiratory tract:

• Angina;
• Parotitis;
• Respiratory viral diseases;
• Measles;

Measles is a dangerous disease that is treated by an infectious disease doctor.

• Scarlet fever;
• Flu;
• Whooping cough;
• Diphtheria.

1. Non-transmissible blood infections that occur when using unsterile medical instruments, needles, and household items:

• AIDS;
• Hepatitis;
• HIV infection.

1. Diseases transmitted through sexual contact (STDs):

• Gonorrhea;
• Syphilis;
• Chlamydia.

1. Skin infections – streptococcal and staphylococcal skin diseases.

In addition, the doctor deals with pathologies of the nervous system caused by viral infections, bacterial diseases of the joints, as well as the treatment and prevention of dangerous diseases such as polio, tetanus, rabies, anthrax, erysipelas, foot and mouth disease, etc.

Important! An infectious disease specialist deals with the diagnosis and treatment of infectious pathologies of absolutely all human organs and systems.

A pediatric infectious disease specialist deals with the same pathologies as an adult. Children are most often referred to a specialist for tonsillitis, acute viral hepatitis, helminthiasis, meningococcal infection, diphtheria, scarlet fever, enteroviral infections, rubella, mumps, and measles.

When is consultation needed?

A person may not suspect the presence of an infection in the body, but there are a number of symptoms for which consultation with an infectious disease specialist is necessary:

• Constant headaches;
• Rashes of various types on the skin and mucous membranes;
• Low-grade fever that persists for a long time;
• Aches in muscles and joints;
• Skin itching;
• Diarrhea;
• Frequent colds;
• Enlarged size of lymph nodes (in different parts of the body);
• Long-term sleep disorders;
• Long lasting cough;
• Stomach ache;
• Signs of liver enlargement;
• Light-colored stools or dark-colored urine;
• Nausea;
• Chronic fatigue;
• Yellowing of the mucous membranes or skin.

A referral to an infectious disease specialist is also given to patients who have been in contact with patients with infectious pathologies.

Children are advised to consult a doctor if they have diarrhea, jaundice, abdominal pain, vomiting, high fever, lethargy and moodiness, a rash, or lack of appetite.

If your child experiences vomiting and abdominal pain, you should contact an infectious disease specialist.

For the purpose of prevention, the following are referred to an infectious disease specialist:

• Patients who have suffered insect and animal bites;
• People who were in an epidemic risk zone (in India, Africa, etc.);
• Persons constantly located in potential foci of infection (food service workers, educational institutions, etc.).

Often, upon admission to the maternity hospital, a woman is recommended to visit an infectious disease specialist in order to identify infectious diseases that can provoke early labor, miscarriage, or the development of pathologies in the fetus. Pregnant women are encouraged to get tested for TORCH infection, hepatitis, STDs, and HIV infection.

Also, an appointment with an infectious disease specialist is necessary to obtain a certificate - when applying for a job, when registering guardianship, to undergo an IVC, to give donated blood, etc.

How does an appointment with an infectious disease specialist work?

A consultation with an infectious disease specialist does not require any special preliminary preparation, but the doctor can send the patient for tests at the first appointment. Therefore, the patient is recommended:

• Quit smoking one day before visiting the doctor;
• Do not eat anything 10-12 hours before your appointment;
• Do not take any medications, because this may distort the overall clinical picture;
• Avoid alcohol 2-3 days before the consultation.

At the initial consultation, the specialist interviews the patient, collects an epidemiological history (has the person visited epidemic zones or been in contact with infected people), examines the patient, and prescribes additional tests if necessary.

What tests can your doctor prescribe:

• General clinical tests (blood, stool, urine);
• Serological study;
• Blood test for antibodies;
• Functional diagnostics (X-ray, MRI, ultrasound, ECG, etc.);
• PCR analysis;

PCR analysis is an informative method for diagnosing infectious diseases

• Culture of flora and smears from the genitals or nasopharynx;
• Immunoblot;
• Blood chemistry;
• Immunochromatographic analysis.

Note! Research methods are selected on an individual basis, taking into account the results of the initial examination and survey.

Having determined the pathogen and the degree of development of the infectious process, the doctor draws up a treatment plan. Treatment of infectious pathologies is aimed at destroying pathogenic microorganisms, preventing the transition of acute infection to chronic, preventing possible complications, and eliminating relapses.

Depending on the pathogen, the treatment method is selected:

• Antibacterial;
• Antiviral;
• Antiparasitic;
• Antifungal.

Along with medications aimed at destroying the pathogen, vitamins, immunomodulators and other drugs aimed at increasing the body's defenses are prescribed.

If complications are identified during the examination, the doctor may involve other specialists (otolaryngologist, allergist, hematologist, venereologist, surgeon, gastroenterologist, etc.).

An infectious disease specialist can, if necessary, send a patient for vaccination, for example, if there is a risk of developing rabies or tetanus. If the patient was in a hotbed of infection or had contact with infected people, the doctor will prescribe special means to help strengthen the immune system and prevent infection.

Other medical specialists (pediatrician, gynecologist, therapist, dermatologist, etc.) are usually referred to an infectious disease specialist. The doctor can be seen in the infectious diseases department of the hospital, or you can make an appointment with a specialist in one of the private clinics by phone or on the medical center’s website.

The cost of services of private infectious disease specialists depends on the doctor’s experience, his competence, specialty and experience, the status of the medical institution, as well as the region and city where the clinic is located. Thus, a consultation with an immunologist in Moscow and St. Petersburg will cost from 1,400 to 5,000 rubles. (average price - 2000 rubles).

In private clinics, you can call an infectious disease specialist to your home - a specialist will conduct a preliminary examination of the patient at home, collect anamnesis and determine the direction for further diagnosis.

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Source: https://simptom-lechenie.ru/kakie-bolezni-lechit-infekcionist-i-kogda-nuzhno-k-nemu-obrashhatsya.html

Infectious disease specialist

An infectious disease specialist is a medical profession involved in the treatment, diagnosis and implementation of preventive measures for diseases of an infectious nature of internal organs.

What diseases does the specialist study and treat?

The activities of an infectious disease doctor include the diagnosis and treatment of the following diseases:

• gastrointestinal tract infections;
• infectious blood diseases;
• diseases transmitted through insect bites;
• respiratory system infections;
• diseases of the skin and mucous membranes, provoked by the entry of infectious pathogens into the epidermis.

An infectious disease specialist is a universal medical specialty that deals with all internal organs, the disruption of which is caused by the penetration of pathogenic infectious microflora.

Intestinal diseases

Most types of infectious pathogens enter the human body with dirty hands, unwashed food, unclean water, causing the development of the following diseases:

• typhoid fever;
• salmonellosis;
• botulism;
• dysentery;
• cholera.

These diseases cause severe symptoms similar to those of acute poisoning.

Infections of the circulatory system of transmissible type

In transmissible diseases of the circulatory system, the pathogen enters the blood through the bites of various insects - ticks, fleas, mosquitoes, provoking the development of the following infectious diseases:

• plague;
• malaria;
• yellow fever;
• encephalitis;
• typhus;
• tick-borne typhus

Without timely treatment, these infectious diseases can lead to serious complications and often cause death.

Non-transmissible blood infections

The pathogen enters the circulatory system through the use of a single injection needle or tattooing if a healthy person has been transfused with infected blood. Such diseases include:

These diseases are very severe, occur in a chronic stage with constant relapses, and are incurable. Therapy is aimed at maintaining life and reducing the incidence of exacerbation of the symptomatic picture.

Diseases of the respiratory system

Penetration of pathogenic microflora occurs through air and saliva and causes the following diseases:

• flu;
• tuberculosis;
• endemic mumps (mumps);
• angina;
• scarlet fever;
• whooping cough;
• ARVI;
• acute respiratory infections;
• polio;
• diphtheria.

The incubation period and the nature of the symptomatic picture vary depending on the type of disease.

Skin infections

Pathogenic microflora that provoke skin infection penetrates through bodily contact with an infected person and provokes the development of such diseases:

• erysipelas;
• anthrax;
• tetanus;
• rabies;
• staphylococcal infection.

Symptoms of these diseases are manifested not only by changes in the condition of the skin, but also by a rapid deterioration in the general condition.

Sexual infections

The method of transmission of infection is anal, oral, vaginal sex without personal protective equipment. As a result, they develop:

• syphilis;
• gonorrhea;
• chlamydia;
• AIDS.

These diseases are dangerous because over a long period they may not produce a pronounced symptomatic picture, gradually suppressing the immune system and provoking the development of complications. People who have an active sex life with different, untested partners are recommended to visit a doctor for preventive purposes at least 2 times a year.

What signs should you see when visiting an infectious disease specialist?

Infectious diseases always cause a deterioration in the general condition, the symptoms of which appear earlier than the specific clinical picture. If you have the following symptoms, you should contact an infectious disease specialist:

• frequent headaches;
• sleep problems;
• formation of purulent foci on the mucous membranes;
• constant fatigue that does not go away after long sleep;
• muscle and joint pain;
• skin rashes of various types;
• redness on the skin;
• swelling of soft tissues;
• abnormal stool, frequent constipation followed by prolonged diarrhea;
• enlarged lymph nodes;
• discharge with an unpleasant odor from the genitals;
• pain when urinating;
• a constant temperature of 37 - 37.5 degrees.

In most cases, these clinical signs indicate that an infection is developing in the body. The task of an infectious disease specialist is to diagnose the source of the disease and prescribe appropriate therapy.

How does an appointment with a specialist take place?

At the first consultation, the infectious disease specialist listens to the patient’s main complaints, studies the nature, frequency and intensity of symptoms. A thorough medical history is collected and studied. The doctor will be concerned about such data about the patient as the presence of bad habits, gastronomic preferences, cases of close contact with sick people, and recent trips to other countries.

After the interview, a physiological examination of the patient is carried out. Immediately after the consultation, the doctor will refer you for laboratory tests, so you need to prepare for a visit to an infectious disease specialist.

To do this, you will need to carry out thorough intimate hygiene, not using scented products, not having breakfast, not drinking anything except plain water, and not smoking.

The evening before your doctor's appointment, you are prohibited from drinking alcoholic beverages.

Diagnostics – laboratory tests, instrumental techniques

To obtain complete data on the patient’s health status and make an accurate diagnosis, the following tests are prescribed:

• general and biochemical blood test;
• bacteriological culture of urine;
• PCR method;
• bacteriological culture of the skin;
• serological method of blood testing to determine intestinal pathogens and infections that cause diseases of the respiratory system;
• ELISA - blood test;
• examination of a smear from the vaginal mucosa in women and from the urethra in men.

If complications are suspected, instrumental diagnostic methods are prescribed - ultrasound examination of internal organs, where, according to the results of laboratory tests, the source of infection is located, an electrocardiogram and a chest x-ray. If serious illnesses such as hepatitis are suspected, a liver examination is performed - rectromanoscopy.

Pediatric infectious disease specialist

To diagnose and treat infectious diseases in young patients, there is a pediatric infectious disease specialist. The need for the existence of this medical direction for children is due to the fact that the symptomatic picture of diseases and methods of their treatment may differ.

This is primarily due to age and the state of the immune system, which in children is not fully developed and reacts more sharply to various infectious microflora. There are also diseases that are unique to children. The doctor treats the following infectious diseases in children:

• piggy;
• measles;
• chicken pox;
• rubella;
• gastrointestinal tract infections;
• diphtheria;
• meningitis.

The signs that a child needs to show to an infectious disease specialist are the same as in adult patients.

Infectious disease specialist for pregnant women

Every pregnant woman should undergo a consultation with an infectious disease specialist and undergo the necessary laboratory tests. This is due to the fact that there are a number of diseases that do not have a pronounced symptomatic picture in the early stages, but their development leads to abnormalities and pathologies in the fetus and causes miscarriages.

It is necessary to pass the following tests:

• blood for TORCH infections;
• blood test for syphilis;
• hepatitis C test;
• HIV.

It is recommended to consult an infectious disease specialist before conceiving a child in order to avoid a number of serious complications during pregnancy.

Source: https://nebolet.com/vrachi/infekcionist.html