Pediatric Infectious Diseases

Infectious diseases are caused by bacteria, viruses or parasites spreading illness from person to person. Many once-deadly infectious diseases can now be prevented by vaccination or treated effectively with antibiotics or antiviral drugs. But infectious diseases persist because microorganisms continue to evolve and because people with weakened immune systems remain vulnerable to infection. The convenience and speed of modern travel also give hitchhiking microbes new opportunities to infect people around the world.

Our infectious disease specialists have convenient access to Beaumont Children's Hospital's Microbiology Laboratory and Radiology Services, making diagnostic testing faster and easier for patients. They can also draw on the expertise of Beaumont Children's Hospital's many other pediatric experts, who are trained in more than 80 medical and surgical disciplines.

Beaumont pediatric infectious disease doctors specialize in diagnosing illnesses of unclear causes and treating difficult infections, including

• Abdominal abscesses
• Bone and joint infections
• Central nervous system infections
• Complicated lung infections
• Complicated urinary tract infections
• HIV
• Infections related to cancer, HIV and immune deficiencies
• MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus)
• Travel-related infections, such as malaria or other parasitic infections
• Fever of unknown origin

Patients can expect to be treated respectfully, with an emphasis on constant communication with the patient's primary care physician and their family.

To learn more, visit About Beaumont Children's Hospital, Specialties and Services, and Patients and Families.