Telemicrobiology: a novel telemedical module for mission support in the field of infectious medicine.
Infectious diseases are among the most common diseases suffered by soldiers while serving in missions away from their home countries. The diagnosis of theses diseases requires special procedures and expertise, both of which are provided by field microbiological laboratories. In order to support the diagnostic process by means of telemedicine, a modification of the standard telemedicine workstation, i.e. a telemicrobiology module with special equipment, camera and software, has been designed and validated. This module, currently in use in two operational theaters, has stood the test in routine practice. It enables the transmission of high-quality static images of microscopic specimens or overgrown nutrient media in a matter of seconds. The inclusion of experts into diagnostic analysis through the use of telemedicine improves diagnostic specificity by avoiding false positive results and, particularly in medical parasitology, allows a treatment-essential diagnosis without the dispatch of specimens to Germany. Telemicrobiology allows the control of the entire microbiology diagnostic process by expert workstation even with only a microbiological technician on site.
Scheid
P
P
Laboratory Medical Parasitology, Central Institute of the Bundeswehr Medical Service, Coblence.
Lam
D
D
Thömmes
A
A
Zöller
L
L
D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013673:Technology Assessment, Biomedical; D017216:Telemedicine / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*