[Editor’s note: The following story is part of our “Hooked on ID” series. Tell us your story by emailing infectiousdisease@healio.com, with the subject line “Hooked on ID.”]

My interest in infectious diseases can be traced back to a formative experience I had in my native country of Peru. I began my 8-year-long medical school training as an aspiring physician. During my fifth year, I enrolled in a tropical medicine course that included a field trip to the Peruvian Amazon. It was there that I encountered indigenous communities facing health challenges such as parasitic infections and inadequate access to safe drinking water. We worked to teach the residents water chlorination while also treating parasitic diseases. This experience was the catalyst for my profound interest in infectious diseases.

More than a decade into my career as an infectious disease physician, I remain as fascinated by the field as I did when I first experienced the Amazon. I am compelled by how our specialty requires us to understand and address holistic patient care, rather than focusing on a single organ or body part. Even now, I find infectious disease to be constantly transforming, requiring lifelong learning and adaptability. I hope that in continuing to practice, I can persist in learning, educating and collaborating with patients and colleagues to respond to evolving or emerging change — for example, a superbug.

Luis A. Manrique, MD, FIDSA

Northwestern Medicine Regional Medical Group