Dr. Joel Gallant
Infectious Disease
Santa Fe, NM
38 years experience male
Locations
Southwest CARE Center
Santa Fe, NM
About
Bio
Joel Gallant is associate director of Specialty Services at Southwest CARE Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and adjunct professor of medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He is an expert on HIV infection and AIDS, and has published and spoken widely on the subject. He is author of many papers and books, including a book for lay readers: "100 Questions and Answers About HIV and AIDS." His interactive blog on HIV-related issues is at http://hivforum.tumblr.com.
SpecialtiesDoctors may have more than one area of specialty interest. Board certification in a specialty area means the doctor has completed formal training and has practice experience in that specialty, and has passed the certification examination from the corresponding accredited medical specialty board.
Doctors may have more than one area of specialty interest. Board certification in a specialty area means the doctor has completed formal training and has practice experience in that specialty, and has passed the certification examination from the corresponding accredited medical specialty board.
Infectious Disease
Internal Medicine
Doctor Q&A
2.1K Answers
173 Agrees
The number of answers this doctor has agreed with.
A 38-year-old member asked:
Dr. Joel Gallantanswered
Infectious Disease 38 years experience
Meningitis: It's usually someone who might have cryptococcal meningitis. However, there are other forms of fungal meningitis, such as histoplasmosis and coccidio... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed Nov 06, 2021
A 34-year-old male asked:
Dr. Joel Gallantanswered
Infectious Disease 38 years experience
No: Bacteria don't live that long.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.5k viewsReviewed Dec 31, 2022
A 54-year-old female asked:
Dr. Joel Gallantanswered
Infectious Disease 38 years experience
Yes: Yes, but the quantitative is preferred, because it provides more information.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.6k viewsReviewed Jun 30, 2021
A 45-year-old member asked:
Dr. Joel Gallantanswered
Infectious Disease 38 years experience
Usually once: There is usually just one strain of influenza that circulates in the community each year. However, there are exceptions, especially if you're traveli... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 39-year-old member asked:
Dr. Joel Gallantanswered
Infectious Disease 38 years experience
Yes: The choice of medicine depends on the cause. Ceftriaxone is used to treat gonorrhea. Azithromycin or Doxycycline are used to treat chlamydia and som... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.6k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 39-year-old member asked:
Dr. Joel Gallantanswered
Infectious Disease 38 years experience
Unlikely: A false positive result would be extremely unusual. It would require either laboratory contamination or a clerical or technician error in which the r... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 42-year-old member asked:
Dr. Joel Gallantanswered
Infectious Disease 38 years experience
Depends on timing: False negatives can occur, especially if the ulcer is cultured too late, after healing has already begun. False negatives are less likely to occur wh... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 46-year-old member asked:
Dr. Joel Gallantanswered
Infectious Disease 38 years experience
Culture for Dx: A culture determines where a specific lesion is caused by herpes, whereas a blood test determines only whether you've ever been exposed to herpes. To... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 34-year-old member asked:
Dr. Joel Gallantanswered
Infectious Disease 38 years experience
Hydration: In most cases, the elevation in creatinine is caused by dehydration due to nausea and/or vomiting, so the answer is rehydration. Sports drinks or sou... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 41-year-old member asked:
Dr. Joel Gallantanswered
Infectious Disease 38 years experience
Yes: Hiv mutates in response to HIV therapy. If you're being treated without a complete response (partial suppression), the virus can mutate so it can rep... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed Dec 31, 2022
A 38-year-old member asked:
Dr. Joel Gallantanswered
Infectious Disease 38 years experience
Go easy: If by "undercarriage" you're referring to your delicate parts, the answer is no, especially for the vagina and anal areas. Harsh soaps can cause dryi... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.7k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 33-year-old member asked:
Dr. Joel Gallantanswered
Infectious Disease 38 years experience
Acute vs. chronic: Igm antibodies appear after recent infection and then disappear. Igg antibodies come later and persist, indicating chronic or past infection. In the... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 48-year-old member asked:
Dr. Joel Gallantanswered
Infectious Disease 38 years experience
No Abx for mono: Mononucleosis is a viral disease, and therefore not treatable with antibiotics. The only exception is when someone with mono also has strep throat, w... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 48-year-old member asked:
Dr. Joel Gallantanswered
Infectious Disease 38 years experience
Depends: If you threw up shortly after the dose, and especially if you see the pill in the emesis, then you should take another pill. However, if you threw up... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 30-year-old member asked:
Dr. Joel Gallantanswered
Infectious Disease 38 years experience
Coxpox immunity: The smallpox vaccine contains live vaccinia, the virus that causes cowpox. Vaccinia is related to smallpox but causes a much milder form of disease. ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed Dec 29, 2022
A 34-year-old member asked:
Dr. Joel Gallantanswered
Infectious Disease 38 years experience
Hepatitis B: The negative hcv is good, but the positive HBsAG means that you either have acute or chronic hepatitis b. You need additional testing to determine wh... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 30-year-old member asked:
Dr. Joel Gallantanswered
Infectious Disease 38 years experience
Yes, but...: You can, but a fatty meal increases the levels of the Efavirenz (sustiva) component of atripla, which can result in more side effects, such as vivid d... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 30-year-old member asked:
Dr. Joel Gallantanswered
Infectious Disease 38 years experience
Not usually: Hsv is more likely to cause blisters on the lips (cold sores) than blisters in the mouth. The exception is primary herpes (the first episode), especi... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed Mar 11, 2023
A 35-year-old member asked:
Dr. Joel Gallantanswered
Infectious Disease 38 years experience
Treatment/prevention: I believe you mean "penal system." i'm against mandatory testing, but routine voluntary screening allows infected inmates to be started on treatment ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.7k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 32-year-old member asked:
Dr. Joel Gallantanswered
Infectious Disease 38 years experience
Then get tested: You could try that. But after you've had a good scream, go get tested.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.7k viewsReviewed Dec 28, 2022
A 43-year-old member asked:
Dr. Joel Gallantanswered
Infectious Disease 38 years experience
Similar & different: The symptoms are very similar, though they're caused by unrelated organisms and the treatment is different. Gonorrhea can sometimes be more severe, an... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.7k viewsReviewed Apr 01, 2023
A 29-year-old member asked:
Dr. Joel Gallantanswered
Infectious Disease 38 years experience
Maybe you don't: You may not always have an ear infection. You may just have clogged eustachian tubes, which makes you feel like your ears are infected. This is commo... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.7k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 39-year-old member asked:
Dr. Joel Gallantanswered
Infectious Disease 38 years experience
Not exactly the same: Not exactly. A bell's palsy is an acute peripheral facial nerve palsy of unknown cause, presenting with one-sided facial paralysis. There are also c... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.7k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 48-year-old member asked:
Dr. Joel Gallantanswered
Infectious Disease 38 years experience
Safe sex: You don't have to worry about his saliva. Just don't have sex with him without condoms.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.7k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 36-year-old member asked:
Dr. Joel Gallantanswered
Infectious Disease 38 years experience
A chance: Just a chance. But don't do it again!
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.7k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 34-year-old member asked:
Dr. Joel Gallantanswered
Infectious Disease 38 years experience
Why?: It's not usually necessary to eliminate yeast from your body. This is not a common problem, and when people are infected with common yeasts (e.g. Can... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.6k viewsReviewed Mar 25, 2023
A 40-year-old member asked:
Dr. Joel Gallantanswered
Infectious Disease 38 years experience
Urinary symptoms: Urethral discharge, burning on urination, frequent urination, and a feeling of urinary "urgency.".
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.6k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 36-year-old member asked:
Dr. Joel Gallantanswered
Infectious Disease 38 years experience
Yes: It's almost universally fatal if not treated.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 33-year-old member asked:
Dr. Joel Gallantanswered
Infectious Disease 38 years experience
Skin vs. mucosa: Jock itch (tinea cruris) is caused by a fungus, but not by candida, which generally affects mucous membranes, not skin. Jock itch is caused by derma... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 45-year-old member asked:
Dr. Joel Gallantanswered
Infectious Disease 38 years experience
No: Latent TB has no clinical consequences as long as it remains latent.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.6k viewsReviewed Dec 09, 2022
A 26-year-old female asked:
Dr. Joel Gallantanswered
Infectious Disease 38 years experience
Usually a boil: "spider bites" aren't usually spider bites, they're abscesses (boils), often caused by staph aureus, usually mrsa. They can sometimes be treated with... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.6k viewsReviewed Dec 31, 2022
A 31-year-old male asked:
Dr. Joel Gallantanswered
Infectious Disease 38 years experience
Some will: Yes, but gonorrhea is resistant to many antibiotics. Injectable Ceftriaxone is currently the best choice, but we're quickly running out of choices be... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.6k viewsReviewed Dec 24, 2022
A 32-year-old member asked:
Dr. Joel Gallantanswered
Infectious Disease 38 years experience
GI symptoms: Diarrhea, gas, bloating, nausea.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.5k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 44-year-old member asked:
Dr. Joel Gallantanswered
Infectious Disease 38 years experience
Doesn't happen: You won't get HIV from a roommate unless he or she is more than just a roommate.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.5k viewsReviewed Dec 26, 2022
A 65-year-old female asked:
Dr. Joel Gallantanswered
Infectious Disease 38 years experience
Herpes or cyst: That's a typical location for herpes and pilonidal cysts. See a doctor.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 18-year-old female asked:
Dr. Joel Gallantanswered
Infectious Disease 38 years experience
Low sodium: The most important thing--almost the only thing--is to restrict the sodium content of your diet. Sodium will cause fluid retention.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 32-year-old member asked:
Dr. Joel Gallantanswered
Infectious Disease 38 years experience
Yes: You can, though by the time people become sexually active, they've often already been infected with hsv-1.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 47-year-old member asked:
Dr. Joel Gallantanswered
Infectious Disease 38 years experience
Skin fungi: The same dermatophytic fungi that cause athlete's foot and jock itch.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.5k viewsReviewed Apr 01, 2023
A 30-year-old member asked:
Dr. Joel Gallantanswered
Infectious Disease 38 years experience
Biltricide (praziquantel): Biltricide (praziquantel) (praziquantal) is preferred.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.7k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 46-year-old member asked:
Dr. Joel Gallantanswered
Infectious Disease 38 years experience
Hardly any: Do you mean effects or side effects? Lamivudine (3tc, epivir) is a drug that's used in combination with others to stop HIV replication and treat HIV ... Read More
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5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 21-year-old member asked:
Dr. Joel Gallantanswered
Infectious Disease 38 years experience
Probably not: There is no evidence that it will treat bacterial infections.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 46-year-old member asked:
Dr. Joel Gallantanswered
Infectious Disease 38 years experience
No: You only get chickenpox once. After that, the varicella zoster virus lives in your nerve cells for life. It can become reactivated, resulting in shi... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.7k viewsReviewed Mar 25, 2023
A member asked:
Dr. Joel Gallantanswered
Infectious Disease 38 years experience
Treat everyone: By medicate, are you referring to treatment of HIV infection with antiretroviral medications? Current U.S. Treatment guidelines recommend treatment f... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 47-year-old member asked:
Dr. Joel Gallantanswered
Infectious Disease 38 years experience
Yes: Yes, the hsv igg should be positive, unless you only became infected very recently.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.6k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 37-year-old female asked:
Dr. Joel Gallantanswered
Infectious Disease 38 years experience
Not long: Rarely more than a few hours.
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5.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 41-year-old member asked:
Dr. Joel Gallantanswered
Infectious Disease 38 years experience
Pharmacy: At any pharmacy with a prescription.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 33-year-old member asked:
Dr. Joel Gallantanswered
Infectious Disease 38 years experience
Depends: It depends on what you mean by dormant. Blood tests are generally positive within a few weeks of infection, and many people develop temporary symptom... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.7k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 42-year-old member asked:
Dr. Joel Gallantanswered
Infectious Disease 38 years experience
Don't scratch: The pinworms will die quickly. However, the problem with having an itchy butt is the "itch-scratch" cycle: you scratch, which makes you itch, which m... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 39-year-old member asked:
Dr. Joel Gallantanswered
Infectious Disease 38 years experience
Yes!: Yes, if you get dehydrated. If you have severe diarrhea and dizziness, you should go to the er immediately..While drinking a large bottle of gatorade.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.7k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 29-year-old member asked:
Dr. Joel Gallantanswered
Infectious Disease 38 years experience
It only takes one: Every HIV infections comes from a single sexual encounter, so yes, you could get HIV even if you've only had sex once. Whether you should worry depen... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.7k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
TestimonialsRecommendations and Thank you notes are endorsements given from patients or other doctors.
Recommendations and Thank you notes are endorsements given from patients or other doctors.
8
Recommendations
2.1K
Thank you notes
Apr 20, 2015
Great doctor. Consistently gives thoughtful, insightful and expert advice.
HealthTap member
Mar 22, 2022
Touching drie blood at medical laboratory (as student) Touching my pen after it . Puti my pen (no visible blood) on my desk at home .Clean my desk with wet napkin. 12 day later touch same spot on my d...Read More
HealthTap member
Mar 22, 2022
Touching drie blood at medical laboratory (as student) Touching my pen after it . Puti my pen (no visible blood) on my desk at home .Clean my desk with wet napkin. 12 day later touch same spot on my d...Read More
HealthTap member
This was very helpful. Thanks! Although my entire explanation of the surgery. That wws done in my shoulder and tumor removal. Thanks for your opinion. I dont like the service.
HealthTap member
This was very helpful. Thanks! Went to an infectious disease specialist ,gave me no medicine,so i thought it would go away ,wrist and hand destroyed. Melbourne fl. Doctor.
HealthTap member
Thank you ! I was worried my six months negative would turn positive later but this settles my fears. Partner also tested negative after six
Education & Training
Residency
Yale-New Haven Hospital, New Haven, CT
Awards
Most Influential, First Place, Baltimore, MD - Winter
2013
Top Infectious Disease Specialist , First Place, Baltimore, MD - Winter
2013
Top Doctor, First Place, New Mexico - Summer
2013
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