Infectious diseases occur when organisms such as bacteria, viruses, parasites or fungi enter our bodies and make us sick. Often, these illnesses can be passed from person to person. We care for children with the most complicated illnesses, including those that develop when your child's natural defenses (immune system) are not working properly.

Our team is expert at choosing medicines best suited to your child's condition, in doses that are appropriate for growing children. We work closely with many of Children's clinics and services, including Orthopedics, Immunology, Virology and Home Care Services, to ensure your child receives the best possible treatment.

Meet the Infectious Disease care team.

Conditions we treat

We see children with a broad range of infectious diseases, including:

• Bone and joint infections

  Bacteria can infect bones or joints, causing pain, swelling and redness. Doctors treat bone and joint infections with antibiotic medicines and sometimes with surgery. When children need surgery, our infectious disease experts work with doctors who have special training in caring for problems with bones and joints (orthopedic surgeons). Infections in the bones and joints can cause long-term pain and disability, but with proper treatment, most can be cured before they cause serious problems.

• Fever of unknown origin (FUO)

  Many conditions can cause fever, including infections. Fever of unknown origin is a fever that has no source that doctors have identified, and that lasts longer than two weeks.

• Lymphadenitis

  Lymphadenitis is swelling and tenderness (inflammation) in one or more of the lymph nodes due to an infection. The infection usually is caused by bacteria and often can be treated with antibiotic medicine. Lymphadenitis most often affects the lymph nodes in the neck.

• Atypical mycobacterial infection

  There are many types of mycobacteria that cause infections, including one that causes tuberculosis. Atypical mycobacteria cause infections that are not passed from person to person and are less severe than tuberculosis. Atypical mycobacterial infections can affect the skin, lymph nodes, lungs and other parts of the body.

• Recurrent fever

  Children may have recurrent fever when they meet three conditions: They have three or more fevers within a six-month period, the fevers occur at least a week apart, and there appears to be no illness causing the fevers. Many infections, including those caused by bacteria, viruses and parasites, may be the cause of a recurrent fever. Some diseases that are passed from parent to child in genes (genetic) also cause recurrent fever.

• Serious or unusual infections

  These infections include tuberculosis, malaria and unusual infections your child may get while traveling.

• Hospital follow-up of invasive infections

  We provide care for children who can leave the hospital, but who still need to get antibiotic medicines through a vein (IV antibiotics) once they are at home. Often, these medicines are used to treat infections such as meningitis, bloodstream infections, and brain and soft tissue sores (abscesses).

• Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections (PDF)

  MRSA are a type of Staph (Staphylococcus) bacteria that are not killed by most common antibiotic medicines. As a result, healthcare providers must use different antibiotics and sometimes other methods to treat infections caused by MRSA. At Children's, we see children who have been diagnosed with MRSA infections that come back over and over (recurrent infections). Our specially trained advanced registered nurse practitioners care for these children during special clinic times to lessen the chance of spreading infection. Please call us for information.

• Group B strep (GBS)

  Group B Streptococcal Disease (GBS) is the most common cause of serious bacterial infection in newborn babies. As many as one in every four pregnant women carries the bacteria and is at risk of having a baby infected with GBS. Not every baby whose mother carries GBS gets sick, but one in 20 babies with GBS dies from the infection. Survivors may have long-term problems, such as lung damage, hearing or vision problems, or brain damage. To prevent GBS from infecting newborn babies, all pregnant women should be tested for GBS. If you have GBS, getting antibiotic medicines during labor and delivery protects most babies from GBS infection.

Subspecialties we offer

• Virology