title: Incorporating pathology in the practice of infectious disease: myths and reality.
abstract: The role pathology plays in establishing or excluding infectious diseases has been established. However, as the practice of pathology has become subspecialized, there is not enough infectious disease specimen volume to have a pathologist dedicated full time to this crosscutting subspecialty. So, what are the myths and realities of a practicing infectious disease pathologist in the hospital setting? Infectious disease clinicians tend to consult pathologists when there are questions regarding terminology used in pathology reports; when there is the need to perform additional studies on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues; and when there is an interest in seeing biopsies or resections obtained from patients and in obtaining photographs for presentations. Pathologists consult infectious disease pathologists when there is a need to review diverse inflammatory reactions; for identification of fungi, parasites, or unknown structures; to define the need to use special stains and other techniques in order to identify organisms in tissues that have been formalin fixed; and to help with terminology to be used in reports. This review explores in more detail why and how these consultations occur.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: Jeannette
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Guarner
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D010336:Pathology / Q000379:methods*; D012017:Referral and Consultation
keywords: infectious diseases; myths; pathology; practice; reality