In medical language, etiology is the study of the causes of a disease. It is necessary to seek them in order to provide an adapted and specific treatment to the patient. The point with Faïza Bossy, general practitioner in Paris.
Definition: what is an etiology?
Etiology (or etiopathogenesis) designates, in medical language, both the study of the causes and factors of a disease. To determine the etiology of a pathology, the carer bases himself on the study of the signs and symptoms of a pathology (semiology). This term is also used in the psychiatric field to define the potential factors of mental illness. “The caregiver must absolutely seek the causes through the signs and/or feelings expressed by the patient. Very concretely, this happens by questioning, as detailed as possible, and clinical examination“, illustrates Faïza Bossy, general practitioner in Paris.
What is the etiology of a disease?
The etiology of a disease therefore attaches to shed light on the causes of a disease but also, by extension, all the factors that led to the appearance of this disease : age, sex, genetic predisposition, diet food, lifestyle, profession, comorbidity…
What is an infectious etiology?
“This term, however redundant, means that the cause of the disease is infectious“, notes Faïza Bossy.
What is a viral etiology?
“It means that the cause of the disease is viral. We can also talk mechanical etiology or psychological etiology but in reality these terms are not necessarily used by healthcare professionals“, specifies the general practitioner.
Etiological treatment is specific to the disease
What is an etiological diagnosis?
Once the diagnosis is made, it is sometimes necessary to find the cause of the pathology thus identified. This is called etiological diagnosis. If this is not identified, we speak of an idiopathic disorder, that is to say that we do not know the cause.
“Note that the simple diagnosis is the identification of the disease from the symptoms“, specifies Faïza Bossy.
What is an etiological treatment?
Symptomatic treatment manages the patient’s symptoms, such as calm pain, inflammation or lower fever. The etiological treatment is specific to the disease, for example an antibiotic is the etiological treatment of angina and/or bacterial infection. “Of course, a patient can be treated with symptomatic treatment and etiological treatment jointly“, adds the general practitioner. Thus, against bacterial angina, a patient is given an antibiotic against the bacteria and paracetamol to relieve the symptoms.
Thanks to Faïza Bossy, general practitioner in Paris.