What does this doctor treat? Children's infectious disease specialist. Infectionist during pregnancy. Infectionist-parasitologist, infectious disease virologist. Analyzes at the infectious disease specialist. Infectionist. What does this specialist do, what research does he conduct, what pathologies does he treat?

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

Sections of infectology

Infectology is one of the most extensive branches of medicine, since 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 industry studies and how they can get into the human body.

Transmissible blood infections enter the body through insect bites.
Non-transmissible blood infections are introduced into the body through contaminated blood, that is, by transfusion of "bad" blood, double use of a syringe, and the like.
Intestinal infections enter the human body exclusively by the oral route, that is, through unwashed food and dirty hands.
Skin infections are transmitted through contact with their carrier.
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 infections.

What does an infectious disease specialist do?

Having learned about the types of infections, let's, before a detailed clarification of what the infectious disease specialist treats, let's find out what this doctor actually does, what his duties are, what he should do and what is outside his jurisdiction.

He provides medical care to patients who come to him with complaints of an infectious disease, including an ambulance.
Engaged in the diagnosis of infectious diseases using various modern techniques.
Prescribes various drugs to the patient to treat the disease and observes their action and possible side effects.
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:

What does an infectious disease specialist treat in children?

In turn, a pediatric infectious disease specialist treats children under 14 years of age with diseases such as:

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

When should an adult contact an infectious disease specialist?

But although we now know what diseases the infectious disease doctor treats, we cannot find out if we have them, so we can only carefully monitor our well-being and be sure to contact a specialist if there are certain symptoms.

Severe headaches will often occur.
At night, insomnia will constantly torment, and during the day - drowsiness.
Purulent formations will appear on the mucous membranes.
There will be constant pain in the joints and aches in the muscles.
Chronic fatigue continues.
Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or abdominal pain does not stop for a long time.
There is an increase in lymph nodes.
Itching, redness or swelling of the skin does not go away.
You have been bitten by an animal or insect.
Bloody discharge appeared not during the menstrual syndrome.
The discharge has a disgusting foul odor, a cheesy or purulent appearance, a mucous or foamy consistency.

When to contact a child with an infectious disease specialist

We have also now learned what an infectious disease doctor treats in children, but a childhood infectious disease cannot be clearly diagnosed either. And this means that parents should be very attentive to their children and, having noticed certain symptoms in them, immediately go to the doctor.

The appearance of rashes of any type on the mucous membranes or skin of the child.
The occurrence of symptoms of intoxication of the body - headaches or eye pain or a feeling of aching muscles.
Persistent diarrhea.
There are blood particles in the stool.
The skin has taken on a yellowish tint.
Body temperature for a long time keeps at around 38 o C.

Preparing for a visit to an infectious disease specialist

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

You should not eat anything 12 hours before your doctor's appointment.
The day before the visit to the infectious disease specialist, you can not consume alcohol and smoke.
The day before the visit to the doctor, you do not need to take any medication, but if this is necessary, you should tell the doctor about the drug taken.
Pass a general blood test and do a fluorography.

How is an appointment with an infectious disease specialist

Now let's take a closer look at how and what the infectious disease specialist treats in the clinic, where you will need to come to see 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 of malaise and symptoms of the disease, and also ask you if you have visited epidemiological zones and have not been in contact with infectious patients. After receiving the answer, the doctor will conduct a physical examination and examination of the patient, and then appoint an additional examination to obtain accurate information about his health and the correct treatment. If necessary, the doctor will tell you how to prevent the further development of the disease and prevent the infection from spreading to the patient's relatives and friends. Also, already 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 the infectious disease specialist is treating, 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.

A blood test is taken for biochemistry.
A blood test is taken to detect hepatitis.
An immunochromatographic analysis is taken, which will determine the concentration of certain substances in a certain biological material.
PCR diagnostics of the body is carried out.
A functional diagnosis of the body is carried out, that is, ultrasound, ECG or X-ray, which allow to determine the current state of the internal organs of the patient.
A culture or smear is taken for flora from the patient's genital organs or his nasopharynx.
Serological studies 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 needs urgent help in the form of symptomatic treatment in the form of oral administration of dehydration of salts or intravenous administration of isotonic solutions. Such procedures are prescribed by an infectious disease specialist to combat dehydration, vomiting and nausea. Also, the doctor may prescribe a 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 pathogens 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 so that we never have to find out what an infectious disease specialist is treating for children or adults, we just need to follow the recommendations of doctors and not give the infection even the slightest chance to enter the body, and then lead to the development of the disease.

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

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

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 ingestion of pathogenic microbes.

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 transmissible. In this case, insects become the cause of the disease, with the bite of which pathogens of any disease enter the human body.

Therapy of non-transmissible blood infections. The way of transmission of such diseases is the transfusion of infected blood, the ingestion 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 the 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 through the airborne route.

What does an infectious disease specialist treat?

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

Typhus - abdominal and typhus;

Salmonella infection;

Helminthiasis and malaria;

Botulism;

Measles, whooping cough, mumps;

Scarlet fever;

Polio;

Adenovirus infection;

Toxoplasmosis;

Anthrax;

All types of hepatitis;
Rabies;

Diphtheria;

Viral infections affecting 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 face a standard survey, the purpose of which is to clarify all the patient's complaints and identify the symptoms that bother him. Taking an epidemiological history is the next step in the doctor's work. Therefore, you should not be surprised if the doctor finds 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 results of the tests. After that, a specific treatment regimen will be given and recommendations on how to stop the spread of the disease and prevent other people from infecting.

In addition, sometimes an emergency vaccine is required for a patient, for example, against tetanus or rabies.

Analyzes and studies prescribed by an infectious disease specialist

Blood test for biochemistry;

A blood test to detect hepatitis;

Performing an enzyme immunoassay;

Performing PCR diagnostics;

Smear sampling for flora;

Detection of respiratory or intestinal infections using serological testing.

When is an appointment with an infectious disease specialist necessary?

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

Therefore, if you find the following symptoms, you should not postpone going to the doctor:

The occurrence of severe headaches.

Problems with night rest - lack of sleep, and during the daytime - increased drowsiness.

The appearance of purulent formations on the mucous membranes.

The appearance of aching muscles, pain in the joints.

The appearance of chronic fatigue.

Hyperemia of the skin, the appearance of a rash and swelling of the dermis.

Disturbances in the functioning of the digestive system, including: constipation or diarrhea, nausea and vomiting.

Enlarged lymph nodes in size.

The growth of infectious diseases is only increasing every year, and this problem concerns not only the adult population, but also children. In addition, their immune system is quite immature, so even a seemingly insignificant infectious disease can lead to serious health problems. If the acute phase is left untreated, then 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 an appointment with an infectious disease specialist if you experience the following problems:

Any rashes on the skin or mucous membranes of the child;

Symptoms of intoxication of the body - muscle aches, headaches and eye pain;

Blood impurities in stools;

vomiting or nausea;

Icteric shade of the skin;

Preparing for an appointment with an infectious disease specialist

To go to an appointment with this specialist, there is no need to prepare. However, if you plan to take tests, 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.

Expert editor: | MD general practitioner

Education: Moscow Medical Institute. I. M. Sechenov, specialty - "Medicine" in 1991, in 1993 "Occupational diseases", in 1996 "Therapy".

The effectiveness of treatment and the speed of recovery of the patient depend on the correct, timely diagnosis. If you encounter certain problems, you need to contact the appropriate specialist. One of the most common diagnoses is infectious diseases. They are caused by various microorganisms. Diagnosis and treatment of such ailments is carried out by an infectious disease specialist. This is a general practitioner. How an infectious disease specialist is received and patient reviews will be discussed further.

general characteristics

Who is an infectious disease specialist, what does this doctor do at the appointment? It should be noted that this medical specialist deals with a wide range of diseases. This is a doctor whose competence includes the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of an infectious nature. These are diseases that arise due to the development of pathogenic microorganisms in the body. Such infections can be transmitted from person to person.

The designated medical professional is responsible for:

consults patients about existing methods for preventing the spread of diseases (for example, about vaccinations, preventive actions, etc.);
provides urgent medical care in the event of an acute attack of the course of the disease;
conducts complex diagnostics;
is a responsible person for anti-epidemic measures;
prescribes and controls the treatment process;
adjusts the course of taking drugs if necessary.

Before you sign up, you should find out the opening hours of the infectious disease specialist. And do not wait until the disease begins to develop in the body. If you are traveling to countries that are hot or potentially dangerous in terms of the epidemiological situation, you should definitely visit an infectious disease specialist. He will prescribe a number of preventive procedures.

Today, vaccinations have been developed against the most severe diseases. They allow you to develop immunity to various infections. Some of them need to be done on schedule in childhood and adulthood. In addition, the doctor of the presented specialization conducts explanatory work and monitors the implementation of hygiene rules in various areas of human activity.

Infectionist for adults

In modern medical institutions, an infectious disease specialist is being received. This doctor can see adult patients or children. It depends on his profile. An infectious disease specialist for adults treats a number of specific pathologies.

In childhood and adulthood, people are more or less susceptible to certain diseases. In adulthood, people can get sick with quite specific ailments. The competence of an infectious disease specialist for adults includes the following diseases:

Making an appointment with an infectious disease specialist is possible if the person is in a satisfactory condition. If there are certain symptoms of the disease, you should contact the appropriate medical institution. Here, an infectious disease specialist will provide timely assistance in a hospital setting.

Many diseases caused by pathogenic microorganisms, people have learned to treat with antibiotics. However, not all ailments are so easily treatable. An infectious disease specialist can significantly speed up the recovery of a patient. The sooner he is given proper medical care, the less consequences the disease will bring with it.

Children's doctor

Specific diseases caused by pathogenic microflora are treated by a pediatric infectious disease specialist. It is worth making an appointment in order to prevent common ailments that are diagnosed in babies. It is worth noting that the child's body has not yet developed its own immunity against various diseases. Toddlers suffer many diseases more severely than adults. Therefore, pediatric infectious disease specialists have to deal with ailments in children more often than in adults.

At a young age, a slightly different spectrum of diseases is diagnosed than in adult patients. Therefore, patients are recorded more often for an appointment with a pediatric infectious disease specialist. This specialist's area of expertise includes:

Diphtheria. In children under 7 years of age, acute intestinal diseases occur quite often. Moreover, it is worth noting that at this age, such infections are especially dangerous. They can cause various complications. In a few days, such infections deplete the child's body.
Whooping cough.
Scarlet fever.
Meningitis. In childhood, such a disease causes serious damage to the nervous system. It is important to diagnose the disease as early as possible and begin complex treatment.
Infectious angina.
Herpes.
Rubella.
Mononucleosis.
Chickenpox.
Measles.

This is a list of the most common diseases caused by pathogenic microflora in childhood. Some of them are easier to carry at a young age (for example, chickenpox, rubella). But in most cases, the children's body is not able to quickly overcome the infection on its own. Such diseases can pose a serious threat to a young body.

Where does the doctor visit?

The place and hours of the appointment of an infectious disease specialist should be known in advance. Today, many representatives of this profession practice in municipal and private clinics. In every major city, village there is a doctor of the appropriate qualification. This profession is in high demand. Therefore, specialists in the field of infectology are never left without work.

You can get an appointment with a doctor of the presented specialty for free. Infectionists conduct appointments in large clinics and specialized medical centers. Most of the smaller hospitals in the state do not have this specialist. Therefore, many of our compatriots seek advice from medical staff of private clinics.

Paid reception of an infectious disease specialist is carried out in most specialized institutions of a wide profile. Here the doctor conducts an examination, diagnosis, and also prescribes treatment and controls its course. In every major city, there are many doctors of the presented specialization. If necessary, in a paid clinic, you can make an appointment at a convenient time for the patient.

If an infectious disease specialist is receiving at a municipal hospital, you will need to stand in line for him. Many people do not have the opportunity to spend their time on this. Therefore, having learned the opening hours of the infectious disease specialist, you can visit the doctor at a convenient time in a private clinic. The level of medical care here is excellent. However, before choosing a private clinic, it is worth considering reviews about its doctors.

Reviews about Moscow infectious disease specialists

In every major city, hundreds of representatives of this medical profession are receiving. However, every patient wants to consult with the most experienced, highly qualified specialist.

In this case, it is worth considering reviews of infectious disease doctors in your city. The best specialists of the presented profile in Moscow - further:

Semina Irina Viktorovna Infectionist, hepatologist, gastroenterologist, therapist. Work experience 36 years. The cost of admission (Alexander Solzhenitsyn St., 5) is from 1500 rubles.
Myltsev Andrey Anatolievich. Infectionist clinic "TrustMed". The cost of the consultation is from 2500 rubles.
Ovchinnikova Natalya Ivanovna Infectionist, gastroenterologist, hepatologist. Experience 30 years. Conducts an appointment at the clinic at: st. Alexandra Solzhenitsyna, 5. The cost of admission is from 1750 rubles.
Serebryakov Mikhail Yurievich. Work experience 35 years. The cost of admission is 1800 rubles.
Khorsun Elena Vladimirovna Infectionist, allergist, pulmonologist. Experience 19 years. Conducts reception at the address: st. Partizanskaya, 24. Cost - 1500 rubles.
Martishevskaya Evgenia Anatolievna. Infectionist, pediatrician, hepatologist. Work experience 25 years. Conducts reception at the address: st. Kibalchicha, 2. Cost - 2350 rubles.

The appointment time of the infectious disease specialist can be specified by calling the clinic where he works. The cost of admission largely depends on the quantity and quality of patients cured by him. Patient reviews allow you to choose the right specialist. Appointments with experienced, highly qualified doctors with a good reputation are more expensive than with young specialists.

When do you need to make an appointment?

With certain symptoms, you should visit an infectious disease specialist. You need to make an appointment when certain signs of the development of pathology appear. Do not wait until the disease passes from the initial to the acute form. Often, patients come to such specialists after hospitalization. However, there are a number of infectious diseases that people endure quite persistently. This can lead to complications.

In order not to start an infectious disease, you should consider when to make an appointment with an infectious disease specialist. The main symptoms of pathology are:

heat;
rashes, purulent formations on the skin or mucous membranes;
weakness, sweating, trouble sleeping;
disorders in the gastrointestinal tract, problems with stools, nausea or vomiting;
rash, allergy;
enlarged lymph nodes;
runny nose, cough, malaise;
inflammation in the places of insect bites.

If you experience these symptoms, you should immediately consult a doctor. Perhaps, at the next stage, the patient will no longer be able to drive to the clinic on his own. To avoid serious complications, diagnosis must be carried out in a timely manner.

What happens at the reception?

An appointment with an infectious disease specialist is possible in any of the specialized paid or free clinics. After the patient's request, the doctor performs several mandatory actions. First, he asks the person about his health, symptoms and events that preceded the onset of the disease. Next, the doctor conducts an examination.

If there are rashes, purulent foci on the patient's body, the doctor assesses the degree of damage, the features and appearance of such pathologies. This suggests the development of a particular disease.

After inspection, a diagnosis is required. In some cases, it is carried out very quickly. In infectious diseases, the patient's condition can deteriorate rapidly. Sometimes there is little time left for diagnosis. In this case, the doctor prescribes treatment based on his own experience, as well as the clinical picture of the disease. In some cases, immediate hospitalization of the patient is required.

If it is still possible to make a diagnosis, the infectious disease specialist must wait for the results of the examination. Only then can he prescribe complex treatment.

Get help

Often absolutely healthy people are registered for an appointment with an infectious disease specialist. They need documents stating that they do not have infectious diseases. Such certificates may be requested from the guardianship authorities, at blood collection points. If a person collects documents for planned hospitalization, for surgical intervention, as well as during pregnancy, the opinion of this doctor may also be required. After an appropriate examination, the doctor issues the required medical report.

Diagnostics

If certain symptoms appear or if you need to obtain an appropriate medical opinion, you need to make an appointment with an infectious disease specialist. In addition to examining and questioning the patient, the doctor prescribes a number of diagnostic procedures. This is one of the most important stages, which allows you to prescribe the right treatment and identify the disease at an early stage. An infectious disease specialist may prescribe the following examinations:

clinical analysis of blood, urine, feces;
a smear for sowing bacteria, determining their type and reaction to certain drugs;
PCR to determine the activity of pathogens;
a blood test for the presence of antibodies to certain ailments.

If a blood test is required, the patient should not eat for 12 hours before the procedure. In some cases, for complex diagnostics, the patient undergoes special training. It may include taking certain medications, a special diet, etc. Before the examination, the doctor explains in detail to the person how to prepare for this or that analysis.

Treatment

At the reception, the infectious disease specialist can prescribe treatment. It corresponds to the disease that develops in the body. This becomes possible after a comprehensive diagnosis. And only in emergency cases, when the patient's condition deteriorates sharply or there is a direct threat to human life and health, the doctor prescribes drugs even before the results of the examination are received.

Treatment involves fighting against the causative agent of the disease. Symptomatic therapy may also be required. Sometimes the infection causes high fever, headache, muscle pain, spasms, etc. To reduce discomfort, the doctor may prescribe antipyretic, pain medications.

If dehydration is observed, the patient is prescribed the introduction of rehydration salts. This is necessary in the event of an intestinal infection.

When choosing antibiotics, the doctor is guided by data on the sensitivity of microorganisms to certain substances. Otherwise, the therapy will not be effective, and the patient's well-being will deteriorate rapidly. Reception of this or that antibiotic is carried out according to a special scheme. The dosage and frequency of administration are selected exclusively by the doctor. Medicines should be taken at the same time. The course cannot be interrupted. Otherwise, the bacteria develop immunity against the antibiotic, become insensitive to it. Therefore, treatment should never be interrupted arbitrarily.

Also, with the appearance of purulent formations, rashes on the skin, local antiseptics and antibiotics may be required. They are applied to the skin to speed up the healing process, reduce soreness and discomfort. Such drugs are not able to eliminate the cause of the disease. Their action is exclusively local.

Having considered the features of conducting an appointment with an infectious disease specialist, as well as the area of competence of the represented specialist, it is possible to determine in which cases it is necessary to seek advice from him.

Every person on the planet faces various infectious diseases in his life. Some get sick with infections several times a year, and part of the population has chronic infectious diseases and is observed by a doctor for life.

1) Decrease in the immunological status of the patient (primary or secondary immunodeficiencies), which includes concomitant diseases (diseases of the lungs, liver, heart, blood vessels, kidneys), a certain age (young children and the elderly), oncological diseases, blood diseases, condition after transplantation of organs and tissues.
2) Reducing the resistance (resistance) of the entrance gate of infection (mucous membranes through which human infection occurs and the pathogen enters the bloodstream). Frequent colds, removal of tonsils, surgical interventions, chronic inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, etc. lead to a decrease in resistance.
3) Weather factors (hypothermia, high humidity, wind).
4) Neglect of elementary rules of personal hygiene (daily toilet of the oropharynx, body, intimate areas, washing hands)
5) Neglect of elementary means of protection in case of contact with infected people (mask, short-term contact, preventive measures, vaccination).

To solve the numerous questions and problems associated with infectious diseases, there is a specialist - infectious disease physician. Where can you find such a doctor? In any medical institution (polyclinic), where patients are received daily in a certain area of the settlement.

What does an infectious diseases doctor do?

What symptoms may be a manifestation of a beginning or current infection:

1) Temperature is the most common symptom of an infectious disease. This may be a high temperature for several days without characteristic symptoms of acute respiratory infections, or vice versa, a low (subfebrile) temperature for a long time (2 weeks or more) without a specific reason.
2) Violations of the color of the skin and sclera of the eyes (jaundice), discoloration of urine, stool.
3) The appearance of a rash of any nature, especially against the background of a rise in temperature.
4) Allergic manifestations are long and without much success after treatment by an allergist.
5) Violations of the stool of a different nature (from frequent for a short period of time to semi-liquid for 2 or more weeks).
6) Non-specific symptoms: weakness, fatigue, headaches, muscle weakness and others.
7) Any symptoms after a characteristic epidemiological history (contact with a patient, insect bites, rodents, contact with sick livestock, other animals and birds, travel outside the country with a visit to any country with a subtropical and tropical climate).

These symptoms should prompt you to see a doctor immediately. The earliest method of primary diagnosis of an infectious disease is a consultation with an infectious disease specialist (in the absence of one, a general practitioner). It is on the correctness of the preliminary diagnosis that the volume of diagnostic studies ("analyzes") depends.

Types of tests for infections

To examine a patient for the presence of an infectious disease, two large groups of specific methods are used:

1) Direct diagnostic methods (microbiological methods, PCR diagnostics, ELISA method with the determination of pathogen antigens).
2) Indirect methods (serological tests for the detection of antibodies - ELISA, RA, RNHA, RPGA, RTGA, RN and others).

Direct diagnostic methods are aimed at identifying pathogens and their antigens.
Microbiological studies are carried out in case of suspected bacterial and viral infections by inoculation of material from the patient on special nutrient media and a kind of cultivation of pathogen colonies in certain conditions that are comfortable for them. The advantage of such methods is to identify the pathogen itself, however, a number of studies are carried out for a long time - up to 10 days. In this regard, PCR diagnostics came to the rescue - the determination of pathogen antigens (DNA, RNA). The advantage of PCR diagnostics is the high specificity of the method with the determination of even one nucleic acid molecule (DNA, RNA) in living or dead material.

result indirect methods diagnostics is the detection in the blood of specific antibodies to a disease - these are immunoglobulins that are formed in response to the ingestion of pathogens into the human body. This is a method of indirect detection of the causative agent of the disease by the antibodies formed, and one can assume both an acute infection and an exacerbation of a chronic disease. Reactions can be qualitative and quantitative, expressed in antibody titers. IgM antibodies can be determined both in the acute process and in the exacerbation of the chronic one. Antibodies of class G indicate a chronic infection either in the stage of activation or remission, reinfection (re-infection), a period of recovery (convalescence), past infection. IgG can circulate for life, forming immunity to a specific infection. The concentration of antibodies in the blood serum depends on a number of factors: the time since infection, the antigenic properties of the causative agent of the disease, the state of the immune system of the person himself at the time of infection.
The material for indirect methods is mainly the patient's blood serum, taken on an empty stomach.

Additional diagnostic methods are paraclinical methods(general blood count, urine, biochemical blood tests), stool tests - coprogram, as well as instrumental studies (ultrasound, MRI and others.)

Infectious disease specialist Bykova N.I.

With infectious diseases caused by bacteria, viruses or protozoa, a person encounters from the first years of life. Some of them are not very violent and pass without treatment. Others require serious and long-term therapy. In such cases, the patient is faced with an infectious disease specialist. Depending on the condition of the person, this can happen in the clinic, and sometimes in the hospital.

Who is an infectious disease specialist

An infectious disease specialist is a specialist in infectology (the science of infections).

Such a doctor receives education at a medical university, after which he supplements it with a post-medical education. This period - internship - lasts 2-4 years. After that, the doctor can begin independent practice.

The subject of his study is the ways of occurrence and causes of infections, their manifestations and development in the human body, full treatment schemes and preventive measures.

Since infectious pathologies can affect almost all organs and systems of human organs, an impeccable knowledge of all the intricacies of anatomy is a prerequisite for a doctor of this specialization.

The main areas in which the causative agents of most infections are concentrated, determined by the infectious disease specialist, are divided into the following types:

intestinal infections - the pathogen is swallowed with food or gets in contact with dirty hands;
blood diseases (transmissible) - transmitted through the bites of blood-sucking insects;
blood diseases (non-transmissible) - infection occurs during a transfusion of donor blood or due to the use of infected needles for injections;
respiratory infections - the pathogen enters the respiratory tract during inhalation;
skin infections - can enter the body through contact of the pathogen with the skin or mucous epithelium.

In addition, the infectious disease specialist oversees the immunization process and participates in the development of anti-epidemiological measures.

What diseases does it treat

Infectious diseases that belong to the field of activity of an infectious disease specialist are divided into 4 categories:

In most cases, infectious disease specialists undergo in-depth specialization, according to which they are divided into the following specialized areas:

An infectious disease specialist working in pediatrics deals with a certain list of typical diseases characteristic of childhood. So, in children, the respiratory organs are more vulnerable to infections than in adults, so respiratory diseases spread rapidly in gardens. In addition, a child can be severely affected by an intestinal infection, even when all family members suffer it almost asymptomatically. A pediatric infectious disease specialist is familiar with all age-related features of the course of these pathologies.

Most often, he treats children for diseases such as measles, scarlet fever, diphtheria, whooping cough, rubella, rotaviruses, mumps, etc.

In what cases to apply

Most infectious diseases quickly declare themselves and have a pronounced picture: they are accompanied by fever or intestinal disorders. But some can develop quite long and slowly.

Signs that it is necessary to get an appointment with an infectious disease specialist cannot be ignored, since the pathology can quickly worsen and lead to disability or even death. The reason for the appeal may be:

frequent or severe headaches;
sleep disturbances (asomnia or excessive sleepiness);
signs of sexual infection (itching, purulent discharge from the vagina, urethra or penis);
lesions of mucous tissues;
increased fatigue;
aches and pains in the muscles;
swollen lymph nodes;
rashes and redness on the skin or on the mucous epithelium;
high fever, vomiting, nausea, constipation, diarrhea and other signs of intoxication.

How is the reception

During the appointment, the doctor conducts an oral survey, listens to all the patient's complaints and finds out the following points:

whether the patient has been in contact with any of the infected people;
whether there has been an insect or animal bite recently;
whether the patient uses contraceptives during sex and whether unprotected intercourse has taken place;
whether the patient has recently visited other countries.

abdomen (liver palpation is performed);
tongue and oral cavity;
tonsils;
lymph nodes.

To make a diagnosis, the infectious disease specialist prescribes some additional tests and examinations:

If the doctor assumes the presence of diseases such as rabies, tetanus, etc., then immediately during or after the appointment, a special vaccine is administered to the patient.

After the disease is accurately determined, the infectious disease specialist will develop a complex therapy. Throughout the treatment, the doctor monitors the patient's condition.

Since infectious pathologies can often be transmitted to the immediate environment, the doctor tells the patient about preventive measures that will save his family and immediate environment from possible infection.