Infectology: modern ideas about the role of infectious diseases

In our time it is almost impossible to meet a specialist who would never deal with infectious disease in his practice. At the same time, it does not matter what specialty the doctor is, because microorganisms can affect almost any organ system, which causes a corresponding variety of symptoms.

In particular, about 60% of patients who visit a general practitioner for the first time have an infectious pathology.

This article on estet-portal.com provides general information about the science of infectology, the classification of infectious diseases, and also provides definitions of terms that are essential for understanding infectious diseases.

Definition of infectology and a modern view on the problem of infections

Infectology – This is a branch of medicine that studies the etiology, pathogenesis, clinical picture, as well as the principles of diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases. The study of infections as early as the 5th century. BC. engaged in Hippocrates.

Today we have a large arsenal of knowledge about infectious diseases, as well as a wide range of etiotropic therapy. However, with the development of mankind, infectious agents have also improved, which has led to the emergence of a new problem - resistance.

With the development of mankind, infectious agents have also improved, which has led to the emergence of a new problem - resistance.

That is why every doctor should consciously approach the prescription of etiotropic drugs (in particular antibiotics), guided by the principles of evidence-based medicine.

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What is the difference between the concepts of "infectious process" and "infectious disease"

The doctor must clearly distinguish between the terms that are used for a general understanding of infectious diseases, otherwise this may lead to contradictions.

Such terms include:
1.    Infection – a general biological concept that refers to the invasion of a less developed pathogenic pathogen into a macroorganism, which leads to the development of mutual antagonism;

2.    Infectious Process – the reactions of a macroorganism caused by the invasion of a pathogenic microorganism into it are aimed at maintaining homeostasis;

3.    Infectious disease – a disease that occurs as a result of the invasion of infectious agents, reflects the extreme degree of the infectious process and develops due to the predominance of pathological reactions over compensatory ones;

4.    Transmission mechanism – a set of ways to move the pathogen from the source of infection to a susceptible organism. There are such mechanisms of transmission of infectious diseases: fecal-oral, aerosol-aerogenic, transmissible, blood-contact;

5.    Transmission paths – a form of implementation of the mechanism of transmission of an infectious disease, which reflects the factor in the implementation of this process. Each mechanism of transmission of the disease has its own ways, in particular: .
    The aerosol-aerogenic route is implemented by airborne and airborne dust routes;c.  
 The blood-contact mechanism is implemented due to vertical, parenteral, transplantation transmission of the pathogen, or through sexual path;d.
 & nbsp;  The transmissible mechanism of transmission is realized thanks to carriers, which in most cases are the biological hosts of pathogens.
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It is also necessary to highlight such concepts as "co-infection"; and "superinfection". Co-infection – This is the simultaneous infection with two or more pathogens of infectious diseases. In turn, superinfection – this is infection with a new infectious agent against the background of an infection already present in the body.

According to it, the following groups of pathologies should be distinguished:

1.    Intestinal infections with fecal-oral transmission mechanism;

2.    Respiratory tract infections with airborne transmission mechanism;

3.    Transmissible blood infections;

4.    Infections of the outer cover with a contact mechanism of transmission.

Of course, such a classification cannot select the entire variety of infectious diseases. In addition, most of them have multiple transmission mechanisms.

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What are the periods of infectious diseases, or stages of infections Unlike pathologies related to other branches of medicine, infectious diseases are characterized by cyclicity. In the course of an infectious disease, periods are distinguished:

1.    Incubation period – from the moment of infection to the appearance of the first clinical (including non-specific) symptoms of the disease;

2.    Initial period – the first days of an infectious disease. In the initial period, most often, nonspecific symptoms of an infectious disease appear.

3.    Rise period – characterized by the appearance of specific symptoms of the disease, which are determined by the pathogenic properties of the pathogen;

4.    The period of subsiding of the clinical picture;

5.    Recovery/chronization of the infectious process.

It should be emphasized that along with the peculiarities of the clinical picture of diseases, the doctor must know the pathogenetic aspects of the development of a particular pathology.

The doctor must know not only the features of the clinical picture, but also the pathogenetic aspects of the development of a particular pathology.

Symptoms of disease – it is an objective reflection of the pathogenetic processes that occur in the body. Knowledge of the pathophysiological mechanisms of the development of diseases, not only infectious, but also other branches of medicine, allows the doctor to predict the course of their development, make the correct diagnosis and prescribe effective treatment.

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