Infectious Diseases

‌

Infectious Disease, a subspecialty of Internal Medicine, is a very diverse, ever changing field as new and potentially lethal infections evolve.  According to the National Institutes of Health, infectious diseases kill more people worldwide than any other single cause.  Fortunately, that’s not true in the United States for a number of reasons, but largely because of the quality and availability of our medical care, and the ability of medical professionals to provide that care.

The Infectious Disease Division of EVMS Medical Group is staffed by a team of physicians, all of whom are fellowship trained and Board certified in both Internal Medicine and Infectious Disease.  They are supported by five advanced practice providers, all of whom have received specialized training in caring for patients with infectious diseases.

Infectious diseases are caused by germs, which are divided into four groups:  

•    Bacteria, such as staph and strep;
•    Viruses, which include human immunodeficiency virus (HIV);
•    Fungi, primitive plants, like mushrooms or mildew, such as aspergillis, yeast and mold; and
•    Parasites, one-celled animals that use other living things for food and a place to live, such as amoeba or amebiasis.

These germs are found everywhere in the environment.  Patients become infected through contact with germs, through touching, eating, drinking or breathing.  Insect and animal bites, as well as social contact like kissing and sexual contact are also culprits.

Whether a mild infection or the most devastating conditions, EVMS Medical Group treats the entire spectrum of these diseases.

Because this is an academic division within EVMS, it has inherent educational and research commitments.  The educational commitments provide future physicians who will stay in the area, which the research activities help provide state of the art care as well as novel treatments to patients.