Day in the Life Series: Infectious Disease Specialist

Dr. Lucy Pontrelli, pediatric infectious disease specialist at Maimonides Medical Center, shares her experience in this medical specialty, investigating infectious disease and how it affects us not only nationally but also on a global scale. Patients may need to seek an infectious disease specialist when their symptoms are enormously difficult to diagnose. Traveling from foreign countries increases the risk of attracting new strands of bacteria, viruses and/or organisms. There are numerous infectious diseases (e.g., leprosy, tuberculosis, cholera, influenza), which are caused by fungi, bacteria, or viruses that can spread from person to person or via insect—and other animal—bites. Currently making headlines in the United States is the measles outbreak, as it’s been spreading to several states and attempts to keep the virus contained has been unsuccessful in some ways. Check out the day in the life series with Dr. Lucy Pontrelli to get a peek into this compelling medical field: