The Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases began in 1985 with the establishment of Seoul National University Children's Hospital, the first children's hospital in Korea. Infectious disease refers to a disease that exhibits various symptoms (e.g., pneumonia, meningitis, otitis media, etc.) due to infection by various microorganisms. It is common in neonates, infants, and young children, who are relatively immature in terms of immunity. The Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases aims to help children grow up healthy by preventing and treating infectious diseases and aims to manage newly emerging infectious diseases and treat complicated infectious diseases in immunocompromised hosts.
Most infectious diseases are often accompanied by fever. Therefore, the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases primarily manages children with fever and treats children with suspected infectious diseases throughout all clinical spaces (emergency rooms, outpatient clinics, general wards, and intensive care units) in Seoul National University Children's Hospital. We are also in charge of diagnosing and treating various infectious diseases for patients treated for other diseases in other departments outside of the Department of Pediatrics.
The medical staff of the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases consists of two professors and many fellows. It constitutes the largest medical team in the field of pediatric infectious diseases in Korea. Outpatients for infectious diseases are operated on every day except Saturday. Inpatients are mainly cared for in ward 6A, and there is one quarantine room.
The Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases primarily focuses on research and treatment in the following six areas.
1) Infectious diseases common to children in the community (pneumonia, meningitis, otitis media, sinusitis, and fever [unexplained fever, fever caused by travel disease, and fever with rash, etc.])
2) Infection in immunocompromised patients (with cancer, organ transplant, and primary immunodeficiency, etc.) and postoperative infectious diseases
3) Vaccination
4) New emerging infectious diseases
5) Hospital infection control
6) Management of appropriate use of antibiotics
The Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases is composed of the medical staff recognized not only in Korea but also abroad. Based on abundant medical experience and long research and expertise, we provide the best medical treatment with top-notch professional treatment capabilities found in Korea. We will continue to cultivate competent pediatric infectious experts through education, research, and treatment on infectious diseases in children and adolescents, lead the advancement in pediatric infectious disease, and contribute to the health of children.