Skin and Soft Tissue Infections
Introduction Skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) are among the most commonly occurring bacterial infections, and their frequency approaches 10% of hospital admissions for infections in the United States. Many…
Fever and Rash
Overview Generalized rashes with fever are among the most frequent conditions seen by primary care physicians, and are a common reason for patient visits to the emergency department and dermatologists….
Select Gastrointestinal and Hepatobiliary Infections
Esophagitis Esophagitis is an inflammatory mucosal injury disorder that may be caused by infectious agents and local irritants. The inflammation may present with substernal pain, odynophagia, and occasionally dysphagia. The…
Urinary Tract Infections
Introduction Urinary tract infection (UTI) is one of the most common infectious diseases, both in ambulatory and hospital settings, and is a major cause of antimicrobial use. This is especially…
Lower Respiratory Tract Infections
Lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) are among the most frequently encountered and difficult to diagnose infectious syndromes. Symptoms of most LRTIs overlap with other clinical conditions, such as congestive heart…
Ear, Nose, Throat, and Neck Infections
Infections of the ear, nose, and throat (ENT) run the gamut from annoying but relatively harmless otitis externa to life-threatening infections of the airway. Despite the broad array of syndromes,…
General Principles of Antimicrobial Therapy
Introduction Antimicrobials differ intrinsically from other drugs. Antimicrobials do not aim to affect biologic processes in the patient, but instead inhibit or kill invading pathogens and commensal microorganisms. The properties…
Fever of Unknown Origin
Introduction Fever is a common complaint encountered by primary caregivers, internists, and surgeons. We all experience fever throughout our lives, and although frequently the cause of fever is never explained,…
A Primer on Antimicrobials
Introduction The serendipitous discovery of penicillin by Sir Alexander Fleming in 1928 was one of the greatest medical advances of the 20th century and marks the beginning of the antibiotic…
A Primer on Microbiology
Introduction to Microorganisms That Interact with Humans In this section, we will introduce the main categories of organisms that interact with humans both as part of the human microbiome and…
