Infection Screening Specialist

What is infection screening?

An infectious disease usually refers to a bacteria, virus, fungus, or parasite that infects certain areas of the body.

Infectious diseases are obtained from a number of sources, such as poor hygiene, transfusion with infected blood, spores or airborne particles, and other infected individuals.

The bacteria or virus enters your system and your immune system reacts, often leading to noticeable symptoms, such as fatigue, bladder problems, or sinus congestion.

Infection screening is performed preventively or to check for infections if you present symptoms. Infection screening is also commonly performed during pregnancy to check for infections that affect you and your baby, such as HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B.

Finding and treating infections early helps protect you and your baby. Some infections, such as STDs, pose serious risks and complications.

What infections are tested in an infection screening?

Dr. Krol tests for a number of infections during an infection screening, such as:

• HIV
• Syphilis
• Hepatitis B
• Chlamydia trachomatis
• Neisseria gonorrhoeae
• Borrelia burgdorferi (Lyme Disease)
• Mycoplasma pneumoniae (walking pneumonia)
• Mycobacterium tuberculosis (this can cause tuberculosis)
• Bordetella pertussis (whooping cough)

Your infection screening results are usually available during your next follow-up appointment with Dr. Krol.

How does infection screening work?

Infection screening is typically a quick and convenient in-office process. It often involves a sample of blood, urine, or other fluid or tissue from the body.

Mucus from the nose, throat, or genital area can also be tested. For example, your urine might be tested for red or white blood cells to determine if you have a urinary tract infection or disease.

Once a sample is taken, the sample might be:

• Stained and examined under a microscope
• Cultured, or placed in conditions to encourage the growth of microorganisms
• Tested for antibodies, molecules produced by your immune system in response to the microorganism
• Tested for a microorganism's antigens, molecules from the microorganism that trigger an immune response in your body
• Tested for genetic material, such as RNA or DNA, from the microorganism

If you’d like to learn more about infection screening, book your appointment online or call Women for Women OBGYN, SC, today.