Infectious disease: Difference between revisions
imported>Howard C. Berkowitz (New page: {{subpages}} An ''infectious disease'' is caused by a pathogenic living organism. While all contagious diseases are infectious, not all infectious diseases are contagious ...) |
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An ''infectious disease'' is caused by a [[pathogen|pathogenic living organism]]. While all [[contagious disease]]s are infectious, not all infectious diseases are contagious from a host of one species to a host of another. | An '''infectious disease''' is caused by a [[pathogen|pathogenic living organism]]. While all [[contagious disease]]s are infectious, not all infectious diseases are contagious from a host of one species to a host of another. | ||
Contagion may need to occur through an intermediate [[vector (biological)]]: unless there is direct blood-to-blood contact, for example, [[malaria]] is not contagious between humans. Malaria is transmitted when a mosquito bites an infected host, and, in biting an uninfected host, transfers infected blood. | Contagion may need to occur through an intermediate [[vector (biological)]]: unless there is direct blood-to-blood contact, for example, [[malaria]] is not contagious between humans. Malaria is transmitted when a mosquito bites an infected host, and, in biting an uninfected host, transfers infected blood. | ||
==Usage as a specialty== | |||
An '''infectious disease physician''' is an [[internist]] who has specialized in the study and treatment of infectious diseases. The specialty can be considered the intersection of [[internal medicine]] and [[microbiology]]. Such a physician focuses on the disease in individuals, and not necessarily the disease in a larger population. | |||
'''Infectious disease epidemiology''' is the subset of [[epidemiology]] that deals with the [[etiology]], [[morbidity]] and [[mortality]] of infectious disease, but not necessarily the treatment of the disease. | |||
Revision as of 21:54, 30 May 2008
An infectious disease is caused by a pathogenic living organism. While all contagious diseases are infectious, not all infectious diseases are contagious from a host of one species to a host of another.
Contagion may need to occur through an intermediate vector (biological): unless there is direct blood-to-blood contact, for example, malaria is not contagious between humans. Malaria is transmitted when a mosquito bites an infected host, and, in biting an uninfected host, transfers infected blood.
Usage as a specialty
An infectious disease physician is an internist who has specialized in the study and treatment of infectious diseases. The specialty can be considered the intersection of internal medicine and microbiology. Such a physician focuses on the disease in individuals, and not necessarily the disease in a larger population.
Infectious disease epidemiology is the subset of epidemiology that deals with the etiology, morbidity and mortality of infectious disease, but not necessarily the treatment of the disease.