Laboratory studies are often necessary and may include blood studies and cultures of wounds or body fluids. They may order blood serum studies for antibodies indicating the presence of unusual or uncommon diseases. These studies may help explain the results of studies that a general internist may already have done.
Infectious disease specialists see patients suffering from but not limited to:
- Blastomycosis
- Bone and joint infections
- Complicated urinary tract infections
- Heart valve infections
- HIV/AIDS
- Malaria and other tropical diseases
- Measles, Mumps and Rubella
- Meningitis
- Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)
- Mycobacterial infections
- Pneumonia
- Post-operative infections
- Rheumatic fever
- Tick-borne infections
- Travel Medicine
Infectious diseases can be caused by:
- Bacteria. These one-cell organisms are responsible for illnesses such as strep throat, urinary tract infections and tuberculosis.
- Viruses. Even smaller than bacteria, viruses cause a multitude of diseases — ranging from the common cold to AIDS.
- Fungi. Many skin diseases, such as ringworm and athlete’s foot, are caused by fungi. Other types of fungi can infect your lungs or nervous system.
- Parasites. Malaria is caused by a tiny parasite that is transmitted by a mosquito bite. Other parasites may be transmitted to humans from animal feces.
