What is an infection DR called?
An Infectious disease doctor is a board-certified MD or DO physician that treats acute and chronic infections caused by bacteria, parasites, fungi and viruses, including COVID-19.
What does an infection specialist do?
The role of an infectious disease specialist is to review a patient’s medical data, including records, X-rays and laboratory reports. They may perform a physical examination, depending on the type of problem. Laboratory studies are often necessary and may include blood studies and cultures of wounds or body fluids.
Why do you see an infectious disease doctor?
An infectious disease doctor treats illnesses anywhere in the body that are caused by microorganisms: bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites. Patients can contract these diseases from other people, the environment, animals, and ticks or other insects.
What do epidemiologists do?
When disease outbreaks or other threats emerge, epidemiologists are on the scene to investigate. Often called “Disease Detectives”, epidemiologists search for the cause of disease, identify people who are at risk, determine how to control or stop the spread or prevent it from happening again.
What questions should I ask an infectious disease doctor?
For infectious diseases, some basic questions to ask your doctor include:
- What’s the most likely cause of my symptoms?
- Are there other possible causes for my symptoms?
- What kinds of tests do I need?
- Is my condition likely temporary or long lasting?
- What treatment do you recommend?
- I have other health conditions.
How do you test for infection in the body?
Advertisement
- Blood tests. A technician obtains a sample of blood by inserting a needle into a vein, usually in the arm.
- Urine tests. This painless test requires you to urinate into a container.
- Throat swabs.
- Stool sample.
- Spinal tap (lumbar puncture).
What is the difference between an immunologist and a virologist?
An immunologist might research how the immune system behaves when it’s threatened, or how to treat patients who have autoimmune diseases or allergies their immune systems aren’t battling. Virologists study the viruses themselves, how they replicate, what diseases they cause, how to classify them.
Is an epidemiologist a doctor?
Are epidemiologists considered medical doctors? No. While epidemiologists study and investigate the causes and sources of diseases in much the same way as medical doctors, they’re not considered actual physicians. Perhaps the biggest reason why is treatment.