epidemiologist

Epidemiology is the science of the origin, spread and prevention of diseases. An epidemiologist is a doctor who studies and analyzes these phenomena, develops and implements ways to counter infectious diseases.

It is also the duty of the epidemiologist to carry out a thematic analysis of the epidemiological situation. With its help, a specific plan of anti-epidemic measures is drawn up, which is extremely necessary when a focus of an infectious disease is detected.

The epidemiologist organizes activities for the prevention of infectious diseases at all stages of the epidemic process, including:

• localization of the source of infection;
• impact on the spread of the disease;
• susceptible tracking.

The epidemiologist is obliged in a short time to protect the spread of pathogens of an infectious disease, to monitor the correctness of anti-epidemic measures and to monitor the effective vaccination of the population.

Epidemiologists are widely erudite specialists who have knowledge in the field of clinical manifestations of the disease, the basics of virology, bacteriology, parasitology, and are able to compile objective statistical reports on the incidence of the population.

rare profession

Today, this work is indeed classified as relatively rare. Specialists are obliged to study the patterns of occurrence and subsequent spread of various infectious diseases.

Epidemiologists work in every district and at the level of settlements.

The teams of the sanitary and epidemiological service, as a rule, are guided by the protocols developed by higher authorities on measures for the prevention and elimination of diseases. Usually this is enough for average requests, and in case of emergency, colleagues from research institutes or top-level specialized organizations are involved. The All-Russian Scientific and Practical Society of Epidemiologists, Microbiologists, and Parasitologists operates on the territory of the Russian Federation. There are similar associations in other countries, which allows states to exchange information at the international level. This saves the world from the global spread of many infectious diseases.

According to the classification, epidemiology as a science is positioned under a diagnostic discipline from the field of preventive healthcare. It is not for nothing that the term literally translates as “epi” – “on”, “demos” – “people”, “logos” – teaching. Already in ancient times, doctors began to use this term to designate sharp outbreaks of diseases in a strictly defined area.

In the absence of a scientific approach, in outbreaks of cholera or plague, people died by the thousands. Over time, experts have developed a set of preventive measures to combat these infections.

Even when people did not yet have specialized equipment for microbiological or biochemical analysis, they could already draw up at least a simple summary of preventive measures. Through trial and error, it became clear that the preventive program not only brings results, but also prevents a large percentage of deaths.

The acquired knowledge about the complex of hygienic measures and other points of proactive work has reduced the risks of mass outbreaks to almost nothing:

• smallpox;
• cholera;
• tuberculosis.

In recent decades, this branch of medicine has experienced a special revival, which is explained by the opportunity to identify the etiology of ailments. A striking example of this was the study of pregnant women who gave birth to babies with deformities. For a long time, scientists could not find any connection until, in a complex of studies, they began to determine the viral component, analyze the course of pregnancy and the manifestations of infectious processes during childbearing, which made it possible to find the cause of all misfortunes – rubella during pregnancy.

The modern approach

The epidemiologist not only directly monitors the disease itself and the spread of the disease among the population, but also compares the data obtained with other conditions:

• natural;
• social;
• economic;
• ecological.

If all of the above parameters are taken into account, then it will be possible not only to localize the epidemic, but also to create a high-quality program of preventive measures.

Even the consideration of the problem of AIDS began precisely with the interest of epidemiologists. Collecting the next congress, the doctors tried to compare the causes of the outbreak of pneumocystis pneumonia among a certain circle of patients. Congress prompted other physicians to take up the study of such a strange situation closely.

But if AIDS is still being fought fiercely in the laboratories of leading universities, then with many other diseases the situation has improved significantly after the intervention of epidemiologists. Together, the World Health Organization was able to eliminate smallpox, which posed a real threat to people around the globe.

The work algorithm of specialists in all alarming cases almost always remains identical. First, information is collected to compile a complete picture of the parasitic or infectious disease, which includes data on:

• features of the disease;
• the number of sick people;
• the results of their analyses;
• the number of vaccinated and those on the waiting list;
• preventive measures carried out and what still needs to be done;
• general sanitary and epidemic situation in a particular region.

These are all the basics of epidemiological diagnosis. But even this is not always enough. Reports are needed on the population size, organized groups and natural factors up to the air temperature that affects the spread of the disease.

International classification

Epidemiologists identify various factors of interest in their own research. The classification provides for the following groups:

• noncommunicable diseases;
• military;
• landscape;
• ecological;
• pharmacoepidemiological.

The first point was not even originally within the scope of epidemiologists’ interests. Doctors who previously dealt only with situations with infectious agents are now responsible for researching mass cardiovascular diseases, oncology and other similar ailments.

A separate line was given to the military unit. Here, the hospital specialized doctor must monitor the situation not only in wartime, but also in peacetime. It’s just that his duties include exclusively caring for army teams.

Another unusual section is the landscape direction. It is based on the distinctive characteristics of the selected area, where a huge number of infection vectors accumulate, for example, tick-borne encephalitis.

With the ecological branch, everything is relatively clear, since here the main factors in the spread of infectious diseases are unfavorable environmental factors. These can be both factory emissions into the air and effluents from plants into the nearest river.

The final representative is pharmacoepidemiology, whose responsibilities included the study of the effect of drugs on groups of people. The same doctors are responsible for the formation of a list of essential medicines, depending on the current morbidity situation.

When to book an appointment?

The generally accepted recommendations for visiting this doctor are based on the detection of classic symptoms of infectious diseases. And although usually with this people rush to see a specialized doctor or a local therapist, the job descriptions of an epidemiologist also provide for the reception of citizens.

It is necessary to sound the alarm if the patient is faced with:

• increased body temperature;
• fever;
• rash;
• sore throat or plaque in it;
• discharge from the nose, ears, eyes;
• increased fatigue.

Despite the fact that the signs of damage to the body by pathogens often have a similar picture, an experienced epidemiologist will be able to see the nuances and send them for a clinical examination.

The list of the most common diseases that have come under the jurisdiction of a person with such a rare profession includes:

• hepatitis C and B;
• flu;
• plague and cholera;
• herpes;
• a group of cardiovascular abnormalities such as hypertension, heart attack, ischemia, angina pectoris;
• oncological diseases;
• HIV;
• diphtheria and tetanus;
• tuberculosis of any localization;
• typhus, foot-and-mouth disease and anthrax;
• botulism, dysentery and salmonellosis;
• tick-borne encephalitis;
• sepsis.

Separately, there is a list of more rare diseases, some of which are recorded literally in isolated cases. Thanks to coordinated work aimed at prevention, their spread is minimized.

Methods of diagnosis

Depending on the current suspicions regarding the disease, not only laboratory tests, but also diagnostic tests will be prescribed. The latter require the use of specialized equipment. Moreover, it can be located both in the laboratory itself, where testing is carried out, and in the diagnostic room. Even the simplest ECG device is a representative of the category of such equipment, because with its help it will be possible to establish deviations in the work of the heart muscle.

If there is a suspicion regarding the development of an infectious effect on the body, then the method of bacteriological examination by the method of inoculation on certain media, or bacterioscopy under a microscope after staining, is most often used. For this, the following biological materials are collected:

• blood;
• urine;
• stay;
• saliva;
• wetness.

Sometimes material is required, which is obtained during certain examinations. This applies to the diagnosis of complex diseases such as pulmonary tuberculosis. One x-ray and sputum results may not be enough. To exclude all risks, the patient is sent for bronchoscopy. The obtained biological material is examined in a similar way to inoculation on specific media.

Processing time for material samples may vary depending on specific needs, but usually takes 7-10 days.

Much more time has to be spent if it is necessary to establish an indicator of sensitivity to antibiotics and phages of bacteria or other pathogens. But such a long wait will allow you to adjust the effective therapy. During the treatment, only effective medicines will be used so as not to expose the body to an unnecessary toxic load, because many medicines have side effects.

Another diagnostic approach is ELISA. This is an abbreviation for enzyme immunoassay technique. With its help, it turns out to speed up the receipt of results, and not wait for weeks, as bacteriological seeding suggests.

And the last word in science was the PCR test, which detects the DNA of alleged pathogens. It is likely that even more productive methods will soon appear that will save thousands of patients.

In conclusion, the enormous role of epidemiologists in the fight against infectious diseases should be emphasized. Compliance with anti-epidemic measures will allow them to be localized and successfully combat their spread.