An infectious disease specialist is a doctor of internal medicine who is expertly trained in the diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases. ID specialists have training in infections of the sinuses, heart, brain, lungs, urinary tract, bowel, bones and pelvic organs. Their training includes treating patients with many types of infections, including those caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites.
Many infectious disease specialists also treat patients with infections due to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the cause of AIDS.