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Review
. 2024 Mar;65(3):248-258.
doi: 10.1007/s00108-024-01662-x. Epub 2024 Feb 5.

[Emergencies in infectious diseases]

[Article in German]
Thomas Theo Brehm  1 , Hanna Matthews  2 , Annette Hennigs  3
Affiliations
Review

[Emergencies in infectious diseases]

[Article in German]
Thomas Theo Brehm et al. Inn Med (Heidelb). 2024 Mar.

Abstract
in English, German

This article aims to provide an overview of common and high-impact medical emergencies that require prompt and effective infectious diseases management. In the described clinical scenarios of malaria, sepsis, necrotizing fasciitis, and meningitis the authors have emphasized the crucial importance of rapid and accurate diagnosis, as well as appropriate treatment from the perspective of infectious diseases. All of these emergencies demand a high degree of clinical suspicion for accurate diagnosis. Some of them also necessitate the involvement of other medical disciplines, such as neurology in the case of meningitis or surgery for necrotizing fasciitis. Additionally, implementing the right empiric antibiotic regimen or, in the case of malaria, antiparasitic treatment is crucial for improving patient outcomes. As patients with these diagnoses may present at any outpatient department, and efficient and quick management is essential, a deep understanding of diagnostic algorithms and potential pitfalls is of the utmost importance.

Dieser Beitrag soll einen Überblick über die wichtigsten medizinischen Notfälle geben, bei denen eine rasche und effektive infektiologische Behandlung erforderlich ist. Es werden die Krankheitsbilder Malaria tropica, Sepsis, nekrotisierende Fasziitis und Meningitis beschrieben und die entscheidende Bedeutung einer schnellen und präzisen Diagnostik sowie einer angemessenen antiinfektiven Behandlung hervorgehoben. Alle diese Notfälle erfordern einen starken klinischen Primärverdacht, damit die für die Prognose der Patient:innen entscheidende rasche Einleitung einer wirksamen empirischen antiinfektiven Therapie nicht verzögert wird. Daher ist ein Verständnis der diagnostischen und therapeutischen Algorithmen und möglicher Fallstricke von größter Bedeutung. Regelhaft ist auch die Einbeziehung anderer medizinischer Fachgebiete erforderlich, etwa der Neurologie im Falle der Meningitis, der Chirurgie bei der nekrotisierenden Fasziitis oder der Intensivmedizin bei allen schweren Krankheitsbildern.

Keywords: Communicable diseases/empirical treatment; Fasciitis, necrotizing; Malaria, falciparum; Meningitis; Sepsis.

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