biostudies-literatureUnknown3(7)Marco J<h4>Background</h4>Advice from a medical expert on concerns and queries expressed anonymously through the Internet by patients and later posted on the Web, offers a new type of patient-doctor relationship. The aim of the current study was to perform a descriptive analysis of questions about AIDS and hepatitis made to an infectious disease expert and sent through the Internet to a consumer-oriented Web site in the Spanish language.<h4>Methods and findings</h4>Questions were e-mailed and the questions and answers were posted anonymously in the "expert-advice" section of a Web site focused on AIDS and hepatitis. We performed a descriptive study and a temporal analysis of the questions received in the first 12 months after the launch of the site. A total of 899 questions were received from DecPLoS medicinee256https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC1483911biostudies-literatureAdvice from a medical expert through the Internet on queries about AIDS and hepatitis: analysis of a pilot experiment.PMC1483911Barba RSainz Mde la Serna CMde la Serna JLLosa JEMarco JLantigua IFfalseAdvice from a medical expert through the Internet on queries about AIDS and hepatitis: analysis of a pilot experiment.<h4>Background</h4>Advice from a medical expert on concerns and queries expressed anonymously through the Internet by patients and later posted on the Web, offers a new type of patient-doctor relationship. The aim of the current study was to perform a descriptive analysis of questions about AIDS and hepatitis made to an infectious disease expert and sent through the Internet to a consumer-oriented Web site in the Spanish language.<h4>Methods and findings</h4>Questions were e-mailed and the questions and answers were posted anonymously in the "expert-advice" section of a Web site focused on AIDS and hepatitis. We performed a descriptive study and a temporal analysis of the questions received in the first 12 months after the launch of the site. A total of 899 questions were received from Dec2006-01-01T00:00:00Z2006 Jul2025-04-04T12:53:58.545Z2019-03-27T01:45:32ZS-EPMC14839111679640410.1371/journal.pmed.0030256