Author: Datsenko S.A., infectious disease physician.
October, 2020.
An infectious disease specialist is a doctor who deals with infectious diseases. It would seem that this is an elementary explanation, which is not needed. But in practice, it turns out that not everyone knows who an infectious disease specialist is and what diseases to treat him with. Therefore, we need to sort things out in order.
Infectious diseases are diseases that occur due to ingestion of:
- viruses;
- bacteria;
- protozoa;
- mushrooms;
- helminths.
There are a lot of such diseases, they affect almost every part of the human body. For comparison, with endocrine diseases, the glands are affected, with cardiovascular diseases - the heart and blood vessels. And infections affect the glands, and the heart, and blood vessels, and other organs. Therefore, the work of an infectious disease specialist is similar to the work of a therapist - he must know everything about everything.
Work specifics
Not every disease caused by infections is under the control of an infectious disease specialist. For example, pneumonia can be caused by bacteria, viruses, and fungi, but are treated by a physician or pulmonologist. Only if pneumonia did not arise against the background of HIV infection - then they are already dealt with by an infectious disease specialist working with HIV infection. Or appendicitis caused by bacteria is the area of expertise of the surgeon.
Infectionists work in outpatient and inpatient health care units. They are not available in emergency or ambulance facilities. The polyclinics have a special room for infectious diseases, abbreviated as KIZ. There are such rooms in children's and adult clinics.
A child infectious disease specialist does not work with adults and vice versa. Because each age has its own characteristics of the course of infectious diseases.
The KIZ doctor provides assistance to people who have an acute or chronic infectious disease that does not require hospital treatment. An approximate list of such diseases:
- viral - chronic viral hepatitis, herpes infections, tick-borne infections, some intestinal infections, chickenpox, rubella, measles;
- bacterial - erysipelas, some intestinal and tick-borne infections, whooping cough, scarlet fever;
- parasitic - giardiasis, ascariasis, enterobiasis, diphyllobothriasis;
- fungal - actinomycosis, candidiasis.
This list is rather arbitrary. So, severe erysipelas requires treatment in a hospital, only mild forms can be treated on an outpatient basis. Or a fungal infection of the nails - with it you need to go to a dermatologist.
HIV infection, tuberculosis, syphilis stand separately - these diseases are dealt with in specialized institutions. But in small settlements, HIV-infected people are observed by an ordinary infectious disease specialist, or even a therapist.
In addition to diagnosing and treating infectious diseases, the KIZ doctor is engaged in prevention and dispensary registration. Prevention is:
- sanitary and educational work;
- work with the public about vaccinations.
People with chronic infectious diseases - viral hepatitis, erysipelas, tick-borne encephalitis or borreliosis are registered with an infectious disease specialist. Also, people who have had infectious diseases and who require medical supervision are subject to temporary dispensary registration. For example, after diphyllobothriasis, hemorrhagic fever, infectious mononucleosis. These patients undergo tests for a certain time and, based on the results, the question of restoring the body after an illness is decided.
Also, the KIZ doctor is engaged in the issuance of certificates for:
- employment;
- admission to study;
- adoption or guardianship;
- military medical commission.
The KIZ doctor is responsible for the registration of disability for people with chronic infections that impair their ability to work. These are - HIV infection, tick-borne encephalitis with irreversible brain damage, viral hepatitis with an outcome in liver cirrhosis.
Appeals
Scheduled admission
The KIZ doctor is a narrow specialist, therefore, an appointment with him is carried out through a therapist, if indicated. To visit an infectious disease specialist, it is advisable to have at least primary tests on hand:
- general and biochemical blood tests;
- general urine analysis;
- fluorography;
- Abdominal ultrasound.
This applies to non-emergency initial admission.
Emergency appointment
When you can get to an infectious disease specialist without a referral from a therapist:
- acute infectious disease - chickenpox, intestinal infection, measles, rubella, scarlet fever;
- planned appointment with a person at the dispensary - usually the KIZ doctor himself sets the date for the next appointment;
- an infectious disease established during self-testing or in another hospital - for example, viral hepatitis or helminthiasis.
In this case, it is also advisable to have the results of analyzes, previous examinations with you. There is no need to specifically take tests for specific infections - the doctor himself will determine what kind of examination is needed.
Issuance of certificates
What you need to have with you to receive certificates:
- employment, admission to study - blood test for typhoid fever, HIV, viral hepatitis; swab from the nose and throat for diphtheria, streptococcus, Staphylococcus aureus; feces for helminths, protozoa;
- guardianship, adoption - blood test for HIV, viral hepatitis; the result of fluorography.
All analyzes are valid for a month.
To register a disability for the initial appointment, no certificates are needed - the doctor issues a list of examinations depending on the disease.
Infectious disease
Patients are admitted to the infectious diseases hospital by referral from a general practitioner, KIZ doctor, or by an ambulance. suspicion of an acute infectious disease, as well as exacerbation of chronic infections requiring inpatient treatment.
The hospital for infectious patients is a separate complex, it is not part of a general hospital. As a rule, an infectious diseases hospital consists of several buildings:
- general department - for patients with ARVI, extraintestinal helminthiasis, erysipelas, viral hepatitis;
- department of intestinal infections;
- boxed ward - for patients with chickenpox, measles, rubella, herpes zoster, scarlet fever.
The boxed department includes wards for patients with especially dangerous and imported infections. Some infectious diseases hospitals are additionally equipped with an intensive care unit.
This is a general description of the work of infectious specialists. Medical care has its own characteristics depending on the region.
