Flávia Cohen, a professional in the area, comments on the role of infectious disease doctors
On April 11th, Infectologist’s Day is celebrated, created by the Brazilian Society of Infectious Diseases (SBI) in 2005. This date is intended to honor professionals who work in this essential area of health: in the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of diseases infectious.
Infectology, unlike other areas of medicine, does not study only a specific organ or system, the field of action is wide. It is involved in the epidemiological surveillance of diseases, both in the general population and within hospitals, in addition to directly assisting patients.. The infectologist helps in the elaboration of preventive campaigns, seeking to reduce the number of infectious diseases. In this pandemic, the performance of these professionals is being fundamental, they are the ones who guide the population on protective measures in the fight against coronavirus.
SPECIALIST HIGHLIGHTS WHEN AN INFECTOLOGIST SHOULD BE SEARCHED
Flavia Cohenan infectious disease specialist, highlights the importance of the profession. “As we do not treat a specific organ, people are not sure when to look for us. Typically, patients are referred by other professionals when any symptoms of infection are diagnosed. Many infectious diseases are acute and can attack more than one system, so looking for an infectious disease specialist is essential to prevent the infection from getting worse, developing heart and respiratory disorders..”
The doctor also highlights the role of infectologists in the current context. “It was common for professionals in this area to be forgotten, but since the coronavirus emerged we received greater attention. The curiosity to understand the spread of the disease, the desire to know what the risks are that can arise in the short and long term, a pandemic that many thought would never be possible in today’s society, so the thirst for knowledge arose, and we were here to answer the questions”says Flavia.
Professionals in this area of health have been involved in this struggle since the beginning. They went through many exhausting and suffering moments, but this pandemic scenario also brought a lot of learning, made them more resilient and able to reinvent themselves. The importance of infectologists was highlighted with each discovery about the virus, they helped in understanding the evolution of the pandemic, guided and clarified doubts.
Source: Recreio
