Infectious Diseases

Department of Infectious Diseases and Infection Control

Infectious Diseases (ID) and Infection Control are one of the important specialties of Internal Medicine and have become an integral part of Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation (SIUT).

History And Role

The Department of Infectious Diseases was established in 2007. It was one of the first departments of its kind in Pakistan, when SIUT decided to have a specialised department of infectious diseases and infection control for the immunocompromised population of renal transplantation.

The most important role of the Department of ID is the management of infections in renal transplant recipients. The faculty visit the Transplant Department daily and provide consults on complicated infections, along with important feedback on Infection Control. The department is also actively involved in the management of post liver transplant patients.

OPD

There are three outpatient clinics in a week in which around 40 to 50 patients are seen. The bulk of outpatient clinic consists of tuberculosis, malaria, STIs, HIV and pre-op surgical patients. The department also works closely with HIV clinic at Civil Hospital Karachi and provides consults to them regarding management of patients with renal failure. The team also evaluates pre-operative patients with positive urine cultures. Antibiotic treatment and/or surgical prophylaxis is recommended by the Infectious Diseases physician.

Inpatients

The ID fellows and faculty visit different departments daily and provide infectious diseases consultations. Tracheal aspirates, urine and pus cultures are also followed in ICU patients. Adult and paediatric ICU, nephrology, urology, oncology and gastroenterology patients are reviewed daily and evaluated if cultures are positive or a consult has been requested by the primary team. The most common infections encountered are dialysis line infections and surgical site infections. Overall around 30- 50 consults are managed by the team daily.

Specialized Tuberculosis Center

SIUT is also running a specialised tuberculosis centre in collaboration with Provisional TB control program, where the department of Infectious Diseases is managing tuberculosis in a specialised population like renal and liver failure, transplant and cancer patients.

Antibiotic Stewardship Program

An antibiotic stewardship program has been established with the collaboration of the Department of Pharmacy under which joint awareness lectures and surveillance on the usage of antibiotics are conducted.

Infection Control

SIUT has a certified infection control practitioner. Their role is to conduct audits and give recommendations on the prevention of hospital acquired infections particularly catheter associated UTI, central line bloodstream infection and ventilator associated pneumonia. They also arrange educational programs on infection prevention and control for the hospital staff.