ABSTRACT
Clinicians come to minor illness management from a wide range of backgrounds, and it is not possible to make blanket recommendations. Patients often attend for reassurance and do not necessarily want advice on managing their illness. The traditional Western explanation of the infectious process portrays the human body as a sterile environment that has been invaded by a hostile organism. Many of the organisms that can cause infections are normal inhabitants of the healthy human body. Warn the patient that he or she may be contacted by the local Health Protection Team and explain that their role is to identify the source of infection and prevent its spread. If there are any implications for the community suspected food poisoning in a chef or a rare infectious disease, notify the local consultant in communicable disease by telephone.
