Treating obsessive compulsive disorder: a new role for infectious diseases physicians?
BACKGROUND
Patients with psychiatric disorders are often seen by infectious disease physicians. Sometimes the psychiatric condition is the primary disorder, and the physician's main task is the early identification of the disorder and referral to specialist psychiatric services. On other occasions, the psychiatric condition will need to be addressed in addition to the infectious disease, and the physician aims to treat in conjunction with a psychiatrist. It is rare for referrals to be made from psychiatry to infectious diseases physicians.


METHODS
A single case study is used to describe a modification of Danger Ideation Reduction Therapy (DIRT), a novel intervention for obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). In our modification the infectious diseases physician plays a key, collaborative role in the psychological treatment of the patient.


RESULTS
Although an uncontrolled trial, results from the modified DIRT protocol are encouraging and warrant replication in a randomised controlled trial.


CONCLUSIONS
A collaborative approach by the infectious diseases physician, the microbiology laboratory and the psychologist can provide a valuable means of retaining patients with OCD in treatment and in the management of this common, disabling condition.
Hambridge
John
J
Department of Psychiatry, John Hunter Hospital, Newcastle, Australia. John.Hambridge@hunter.health.nsw.gov.au
Loewenthal
Mark
M
D000328:Adult; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010820:Physicians; D011570:Psychiatry / Q000379:methods*; D012017:Referral and Consultation