Infectious Disease Diagnostics; Causative Agent of an Infectious Disease Is Identified and often Characterized

 

Infectious disease diagnostics involve identifying the pathogen and its type and the degree up to which the infection has spread. Doctors diagnose infectious diseases using a wide variety of laboratory tests. Urine samples, blood samples, mucus samples, stool samples, and other body fluids are also examined during the infectious disease diagnostics. Doctors identify infectious organisms by examining them under a microscope, in some cases. Diagnostic technologies include staining techniques, conventional culturing, molecular techniques, immunodiagnostics, and biochemical techniques. These techniques can help diagnose infectious diseases accurately with high throughput capacity.

Infectious diseases are caused by organisms, such as parasites, fungi, viruses, or bacteria, and can transmit from one species to another. Infectious diseases can spread through direct contact, from person to person, or indirectly through insect bites or other vectors such as air, water, soil, and food. Infectious diseases such as Influenza, tuberculosis, malaria, and HIV are highly prevalent and can be diagnosed efficiently with the help of diagnosis tests. Infectious disease therapeutics involves antibiotics, supportive therapies, and anti-bacterial medications, anti-viral medications, anti-parasite medications, anti-fungal medications, etc. However, treatment depends on which microorganism causes the infection.

Most bacterial infections are treated with antibiotics. Antibiotics may be administered orally or by injection, intravenous (IV) line, creams, or drops. Thus, with the increasing prevalence of infectious diseases in both developed and developing countries, the demand for infectious disease diagnostics is also increasing. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2018, around 9,025 new cases of tuberculosis, 33,666 new cases of Lyme disease, 60,999 new cases of salmonella, and 327 new cases of meningococcal disease were registered in the United States. Many viruses have a wide range of symptoms, which makes it very difficult to determine the disease at first glance.

Some of these include minor respiratory infections such as colds and coughs, fever, and sore throat. Other symptoms can be a rash, muscle aches, headaches, diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, and swollen lymph nodes. Some of these pathogenic bacteria can cause serious illness or even death if not treated immediately.