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Dr. Lalita Shastry, MD

Accepting New Patients

(Lalita G. Shastry, MD)

(114 Ratings)

Specializes in: Infectious Disease and General Practice

Albany Medical College (1999)

Professional interests include: osteomyelitis, lab tests, tuberculosis (TB), and more.

1255 S Cedar Crest Boulevard Suite 2100
Allentown, PA 18103

(610) 402-8430

Dr. Lalita Shastry, MD is an infectious disease doctor in Allentown, PA specializing in infectious disease and general practice. She graduated from Albany Medical College in 1999 and has 25 years of experience. Dr. Lalita Shastry, MD is affiliated with Lehigh Valley Physician Group (LVPG), Lehigh Valley Health Network and LVPG Infectious Diseases-1255 Cedar Crest.

Office Locations

Address:

1255 S Cedar Crest Boulevard Suite 2100
Allentown, PA 18103

Some issues Dr. Lalita Shastry, MD can help you with:

Lyme Disease

Lyme disease is a condition caused by bacteria (borrelia burgdorferi) that are transmitted via infected ticks. Most cases of Lyme disease are found in the United States East Coast and parts of the Midwest. The three main vectors of transmission for Lyme disease are:

Blacklegged (deer) ticks, which spread Lyme disease in the Northeastern, North -Central, and mid-Atlantic United States.
Western blacklegged ticks, which spread Lyme disease in the Pacific and Coastal regions of the United States.
A mother infected with Lyme disease may pass it onto a fetus.

As background, ticks lay on the tops of grass and brush, clutching onto leaves with their legs and with their arms outstretched. This formation is called "questing" and allows ticks to quickly latch onto passers-by. Within two hours of biting a person's skin, the tick slowly begins to feed from the blood of its host, which can transmit the bacteria that causes Lyme disease. This tick activity generally occurs seasonally and tick bites mostly occur during the springtime.

After being infected, people with Lyme disease may develop symptoms like fever, exhaustion, headache, joint aches, and skin rash, usually three to thirty days after the tick bite. Lyme disease is characterized by a particular skin rash called erythema migrans, which is an enlarged red rash that starts at the site of the tick bite and expands outwards. The rash is a strong indicator that someone has developed or is at risk of developing Lyme disease.

In the following few months, symptoms may worsen and progress to include:

Facial palsy (facial droop)
Headache and neck pain
Arthritis
Nerve pain and numbness
Spinal and brain inflammation
Abnormal heart rhythm (Lyme carditis)

Most cases of Lyme disease dissipate over a few months. Lyme disease may be cured by a course of oral antibiotics, such as amoxicillin or doxycycline. Other treatments may include:

Nerve blocking drugs for pain, such as gabapentin
Topical ointments for rashes

People can take action to prevent Lyme disease by exercising caution when in environments with ticks. Using insect repellant and wearing long socks and protecting clothing can help prevent tick bites. Outdoor enthusiasts should regularly perform "tick checks," evaluating their skin for small ticks, especially in areas where ticks may easily burrow. Showering within two hours of returning indoors also can reduce the likelihood of developing Lyme disease.

Sexual Health Issues

Sexual health is a broad and loosely defined term that encompasses several extremely different areas of medicine. Sexual health not only includes physical health related to the act of sex, but also emotional, mental, or identity issues that can interfere with healthy sexuality. Because this scope is so broad, a huge number of health care professionals can accurately say they work in the sexual health specialty. Some of the many varied conditions included in sexual health include intimacy disorders, sexually transmitted diseases, reproductive health, LGBTQ issues, and sexual violence.

Sexual intimacy disorders are those that cause problems with the act of sexual intercourse, such as erectile dysfunction or vulvodynia. Erectile dysfunction, the inability to get or maintain an erection hard enough for sexual intercourse, is extremely common. It affects fully half of men over 40 to some degree. It is treated with medications, devices, or surgery. Vulvodynia, burning pain in the vulva that can be made worse with sexal activity, has no known cause. It is treated with oral or topical medications.

Sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS, herpes, gonorrhea, and chlamydia, are bacterial or viral infections that are contagious in the bodily fluids exchanged during sexual contact. Barrier methods of contraception, such as condoms, help prevent the spread of STDs. HIV is a virus that can be caught from an infected person's sexual fluids or blood. When the virus infects the body, it interferes with the immune system and causes the disease known as AIDS. There is no cure, but anti-viral medications can help people with AIDS live a long and healthy life. Herpes is also a virus found in sexual fluids, called HSV-2. It causes blisters that come and go on the genitals. There is no cure for herpes, but anti-virals can minimize outbreaks. Gonorrhea and chlamydia are both bacterial infections. They are extremely common and often have no symptoms. The most common signs of an infection are burning pain and discharge. Gonorrhea and chlamydia can be treated with medications.

Reproductive health refers to both contraception and infertility treatment. Contraceptives prevent and plan the timing of pregnancy. Some, such as a vasectomy or tubal ligation, are extremely effective at preventing pregnancy. Others, such as spermicides, are less reliable. Popular contraceptives include condoms, birth control pills, IUDs, and diaphragms. On the other side of reproductive health, infertility is the inability to carry a pregnancy to term after one year of trying. It can be due to problems in either the man or the woman, and both genders are affected equally. In total, about 15% of the population suffer from infertility. Infertility treatments include medications and surgery.

Gay and transgender people have a few specific health care needs that may sometimes fall under the sexual health umbrella. First, many LGBT people still face discrimination from healthcare providers, so providing supportive and appropriate care is an issue. Because of social attitudes surrounding sexual orientation and gender identity, many gay and transgender people struggle with their identities. Rates of depression, substance abuse, and suicide are all higher in this group. Providing mental health support and counseling to those in transition is critical. Finally, transgender patients who are undergoing gender affirmation require sensitive medical health care, including surgical and hormonal treatment.

Sexual violence can be defined as any unwanted or non-consensual sexual activity. It ranges from sexual harassment to touching to rape. It affects women more than men and is widespread: 1 in 4 women report being victims of sexual violence at the hands of a partner, and as many as 1 in 3 girls report their first sexual contact as being violent. Sexual violence has lasting physical and emotional consequences for victims, but educating both girls and boys can prevent violence. Care for those who have endured sexual violence includes counseling and mental health support, medical care, and legal support.

Sexuality is more than a reproductive requirement -- it is a form of expression and identity. Sexual health blends all these aspects of experience together and helps people lead sexually fulfilling lives.

doctor visit	57
hospital care	1534
inpatient care	1534

**Gender**
Male	281
Female	265

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	494
Black	12
Hispanic	27
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	159
From 75 to 84	165
85 and over	89
Less than 65	133

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	70
Stroke	14
Ischemic Heart Disease	70
Depression	50
Chronic Kidney Disease	68
Asthma	15
Osteoperosis	13
Atrial Fibrilation	38
Heart Failure	55
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	36
Diabetes	54
Dementia	26
Cancer	18

doctor visit	64
hospital care	1382
inpatient care	1382

**Gender**
Male	262
Female	221

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	433
Black	0
Hispanic	25
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	186
From 75 to 84	110
85 and over	78
Less than 65	109

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	68
Stroke	12
Ischemic Heart Disease	65
Depression	50
Chronic Kidney Disease	70
Asthma	13
Osteoperosis	10
Atrial Fibrilation	30
Heart Failure	51
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	34
Diabetes	55
Dementia	18
Cancer	14

doctor visit	51
hospital care	1442
inpatient care	1442

**Gender**
Male	516
Female	466

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	864
Black	50
Hispanic	46
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	330
From 75 to 84	254
85 and over	126
Less than 65	272

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	71
Stroke	16
Ischemic Heart Disease	67
Depression	54
Chronic Kidney Disease	74
Asthma	26
Osteoperosis	13
Atrial Fibrilation	31
Heart Failure	56
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	34
Diabetes	56
Dementia	23
Cancer	18

doctor visit	59
hospital care	1067
inpatient care	1067

**Gender**
Male	223
Female	186

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	362
Black	0
Hispanic	21
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	128
From 75 to 84	115
85 and over	59
Less than 65	107

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	73
Stroke	15
Ischemic Heart Disease	68
Depression	50
Chronic Kidney Disease	75
Asthma	37
Osteoperosis	12
Atrial Fibrilation	35
Heart Failure	53
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	34
Diabetes	52
Dementia	32
Cancer	17

doctor visit	59
hospital care	1151
inpatient care	1151

**Gender**
Male	261
Female	184

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	398
Black	13
Hispanic	19
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	146
From 75 to 84	115
85 and over	60
Less than 65	124

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	70
Stroke	19
Ischemic Heart Disease	69
Depression	50
Chronic Kidney Disease	75
Asthma	13
Osteoperosis	11
Atrial Fibrilation	36
Heart Failure	57
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	36
Diabetes	58
Dementia	30
Cancer	17

hospital care	922
inpatient care	922

**Gender**
Male	214
Female	164

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	322
Black	20
Hispanic	17
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	153
From 75 to 84	87
85 and over	27
Less than 65	111

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	68
Stroke	16
Ischemic Heart Disease	57
Depression	47
Chronic Kidney Disease	75
Asthma	11
Osteoperosis	14
Atrial Fibrilation	33
Heart Failure	48
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	32
Diabetes	51
Dementia	29
Cancer	16

doctor visit	43
hospital care	982
inpatient care	982

**Gender**
Male	246
Female	200

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	394
Black	0
Hispanic	32
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	167
From 75 to 84	109
85 and over	53
Less than 65	117

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	75
Stroke	16
Ischemic Heart Disease	62
Depression	49
Chronic Kidney Disease	75
Asthma	11
Osteoperosis	12
Atrial Fibrilation	35
Heart Failure	56
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	34
Diabetes	53
Dementia	32
Cancer	16

doctor visit	15
hospital care	889
inpatient care	889

**Gender**
Male	242
Female	206

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	379
Black	19
Hispanic	38
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	149
From 75 to 84	109
85 and over	74
Less than 65	116

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	75
Stroke	13
Ischemic Heart Disease	62
Depression	50
Chronic Kidney Disease	75
Asthma	13
Osteoperosis	12
Atrial Fibrilation	30
Heart Failure	53
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	28
Diabetes	50
Dementia	33
Cancer	14

doctor visit	51
hospital care	1458
inpatient care	1458

Average Medicare Procedure Volume From 2013 - 2021

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Lalita Shastry, MD for Medicare patients.

The highest averages for the top procedures that Dr. Lalita Shastry, MD treated as an infectious disease doctor in Allentown, PA were hospital care and inpatient care.

doctor visit	50
hospital care	1203
inpatient care	1203

Average Medicare Patient Data From 2013 - 2021

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Lalita Shastry, MD.

**Gender**
Male	224
Female	189

**Ethnicity**
Black / African American	11
Asian / Pacific Islander	0
Non-Hispanic White	364
Native American / Alaskan Native	0
Hispanic	22
Other	0

**Age**
75 to 84	106
85 and over	56
Less than 65	108
65 to 74	141

Average of Total of Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Lalita Shastry, MD From 2013 - 2021

The highest averages of the most common conditions of Medicare patients that Dr. Lalita Shastry, MD treated were hypertension, chronic kidney disease, high cholesterol and ischemic heart disease.

Hypertension	60
High Cholesterol	57
Stroke	12
Ischemic Heart Disease	52
Depression	40
Chronic Kidney Disease	58
Asthma	13
Osteoporosis	9
Heart Failure	42
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	26
Diabetes	42
Atrial Fibrillation	26
Cancer	13
Dementia	22

Education & Training

Dr. Lalita Shastry, MD graduated from Albany Medical College in 1999. She completed residency at University of Massachusetts Affiliated Hospitals. She is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine - Infectious Disease Publications & Clinical Trials View Clinical Trials View Scholarly Works and has a state license in Pennsylvania.

Medical School: Albany Medical College (1999)

Residency: University of Massachusetts Affiliated Hospitals (2001)

Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine - Infectious Disease Publications & Clinical Trials View Clinical Trials View Scholarly Works

Licensed In: Pennsylvania

Affiliations & Hospitals

Dr. Lalita Shastry, MD is associated with these hospitals and organizations:

Lehigh Valley Physician Group (LVPG)

Lehigh Valley Health Network

LVPG Infectious Diseases-1255 Cedar Crest

Ratings & Reviews

Dr. Lalita Shastry, MD has an exceptional overall rating with an average of 4.85 out of 5 stars based on 114 ratings. We collect ratings and reviews of Dr. Lalita Shastry, MD from all over the web to help you find the right in Allentown, PA.

4.85

Overall Rating

(114 Ratings)

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Biography

Dr. Lalita Shastry's areas of specialization are infectious disease and general practice; she sees patients in Allentown, PA. Before performing her residency at a hospital affiliated with the University of Massachusetts, Dr. Shastry attended Albany Medical College for medical school. She is affiliated with Lehigh Valley Physician Group (LVPG). According to Lehigh Valley Health Network, she is currently accepting new patients at her office in Allentown, PA.