"Doctor" - what is it, definition of the term
A physician is a licensed health professional who, after completing accredited medical education and postgraduate training, is authorized to evaluate patients, determine diagnoses, prescribe therapeutic interventions, and oversee ongoing care across diverse clinical environments.
Detailed information
A physician specializing in dermatology or infectious disease evaluates patients for ectoparasite infestations and the illnesses they transmit. Clinical assessment includes visual inspection, patient history of exposure, and laboratory testing when required.
Ticks attach to skin, feed on blood, and can transmit pathogens such as Borrelia burgdorferi (Lyme disease), Anaplasma phagocytophilum (anaplasmosis), and Rickettsia species (spotted fever). Diagnosis relies on identification of the attached arthropod, symptom review, and serologic or molecular assays. Treatment typically involves doxycycline for a 10‑14‑day course; alternative agents include amoxicillin for pregnant patients and children under eight.
Bugs that bite or sting, including mosquitoes, sandflies, and bedbugs, cause local inflammation and may serve as vectors for viruses (e.g., dengue, Zika) or bacteria (e.g., Bartonella). Management focuses on symptom relief with antihistamines or corticosteroid creams and, when applicable, antiviral or antibiotic therapy guided by pathogen identification.
Lice infestations affect the scalp, body, or pubic region. Diagnosis is confirmed by finding live nits attached to hair shafts. First‑line therapy consists of topical pediculicides such as permethrin 1 % applied to dry hair for ten minutes before rinsing. Resistance to permethrin may necessitate alternative agents like ivermectin lotion or oral ivermectin.
Fleas commonly infest domestic animals and can bite humans, causing pruritic papules and transmitting Yersinia pestis (plague) or Rickettsia felis. Control measures include:
- Administration of systemic flea adulticides to pets (e.g., spinosad, nitenpyram).
- Environmental treatment with insect growth regulators (IGRs) such as methoprene or pyriproxyfen.
- Regular vacuuming and laundering of bedding to remove eggs and larvae.
Medical practitioners prescribe antihistamines for itch relief and antibiotics (e.g., doxycycline) if a flea‑borne infection is confirmed. Prevention strategies emphasize personal protective clothing, insect repellents containing DEET or picaridin, and proper pet hygiene.