The branch of medicine that deals specifically with the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of infectious diseases is known as medical microbiology. If your doctor has concerns about an infectious disease, you may be referred to a medical microbiologist for further evaluation and additional treatment.
A medical microbiologist specializes in the organisms which are microscopic, or unable to be seen by the human eye. The organisms which can infect the human body can be the trigger for a variety of diseases including life-threatening conditions. A medical microbiologist may evaluate your condition and even form a research team to monitor your disease and its conditions.
Many microbiologists are also employed in laboratories and government facilities to research and conduct clinical trials to find cures for diseases. Some microbiologists will also study the effects of biological weapons which may be used against the United States.
If you have been exposed to infectious diseases on the job, such as in a healthcare setting, you may need to seek additional treatment and evaluation from a medical microbiologist. Your doctor will be able to provide you with the referral and the microbiologist will provide you with the proper testing and follow up concerning your infectious disease. You will likely have to undergo blood work and cultures of body fluids or any wounds you sustained in your injury.
Some examples of infectious diseases occurring on the job include hepatitis, tuberculosis, and HIV which are contracted by accident, through violence, or by the carelessness of others.
