What are infectious diseases?
Infectious diseases are disorders caused by microorganisms including bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites. Many organisms live in and on our bodies. These are normally harmless or even helpful, but under certain conditions, some may cause disease.
Some infectious diseases can be passed from person to person. Some are transmitted by bites from insects or animals. And others are acquired by ingesting contaminated food or water or being exposed to organisms in the environment.
Signs and symptoms vary depending on the organism causing the infection, but often include fever and fatigue. Mild infections may respond to rest and home remedies, while some life-threatening infections may require hospitalization.
Many infectious diseases, such as measles and chickenpox, can be prevented by vaccines. Frequent and thorough hand-washing also helps protect you from most infectious diseases.
Services provided?
San Antonio Infectious Diseases Consultants provide both inpatient (hospital) and outpatient (clinic) consultation to patient with known or suspected infections.
Infectious diseases diagnosed and cared for?
- Bloodstream infections – including endocarditis (heart valve infections)
- Bone and joint infections – including osteomyelitis of the spine and infection of prosthetic joints
- Skin and soft tissue infections – including diabetic foot infections, decubitus ulcer infections, recurrent abscesses, Staphylococcus aureus infections (including MRSA), recurrent cellulitis and post-surgical infections
- Complicated or recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) – including prostatitis
- HIV infection and AIDS
- Tropical and travel associated infections – including malaria, leishmaniasis
- Sexually transmitted infections – including syphilis
- Mycobacterial infections – including tuberculosis, latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) and non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM; such as MAC/MAI)
- Fungal infection – including chronic blastomycosis coccidioidomycosis, cryptococcosis and histoplasmosis
- Chronic and unusual lung infections – including lung abscesses, chronic fungal infections, nocardiosis and chronic MAC/MAI
- Meningitis and other central nervous system infections
- Tick and flea-borne infections – including typhus, Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis, babesiosis and Rocky Mountain (and other) spotted fevers
- Zoonotic infections (infections from animals) – including leptospirosis, Q fever, Brucella, Bartonella, and Pasteurella infections
- Other viral infections – including herpes virus infections (herpes simplex, herpes zoster, EBV, CMV, varicella) and HTLV
- Parasitic infections – including amebiasis, giardiasis, cryptosporidiosis and cyclosporiasis
- Fevers of unknown origin
Patients are seen by San Antonio Infectious Diseases Consultants only on a referral basis. Referral requests from primary care providers or other specialists are accepted.