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Infectious Diseases Welcome from the Chief
Introduction from William
A. Petri, Jr., M.D., Ph.D.
Chief, Division of Infectious
Diseases and International Health
Welcome to the Division of Infectious
Diseases and International Health! The University of Virginia has one
of the top clinical and research divisions of infectious diseases and
international health. We are comprised of 26 faculty with
clinical, research and educational activities in microbiology,
immunology, epidemiology and clinical investigation.
Our M.D. Infectious Diseases Fellowship Program is designed to produce
the next generation of physician-scientists. 90% of our graduates
are currently on the faculty of medical schools.
Many of the editors of the key texts that define our field are current
or former members of the Division, including Gerald Mandell (Principles
and Practice of Infectious Diseases), Richard Guerrant (Tropical
Infectious Diseases. Principles, Pathogens and Practice), Michael
Scheld (Infections of the Central Nervous System), and Fred Hayden
(Clinical Virology).
Research activities are supported by $21 million in annual extramural
funding and include:
-
Global health with Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and NIH supported field research in Bangladesh, Brazil, Haiti, South Affrica, Tanzania, and Uganda (Drs. Dillingham, Guerrant, Houpt, Pearson, Peterson, Petri, & Scheld)
- Biodefense and emerging infectious diseases including anthrax, tularemia, c.difficile, cryptosporidiosis, influenza and enteric pathogens (Drs. Gilchrist, Guerrant, Hewlett, Mann, Petri, Ramakrishnan, Roche, & Warren,). UVA is a major participating institution in the Middle Atlantic Regional Center of Excellence for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases Research.
- HIV/AIDS and STDs with clinical research in Charlottesville, Brazil, Haiti, Tanzania and Uganda (Drs. Guerrant, Houpt, Scheld, Townsend, Wispelwey & Yuan)
-
Clinical trials of anti-viral agents, anti-fungals and antibiotics, vaccines, and immune modulators (Drs. Donowitz, Hayden, & Scheld)
-
Parasitology (Drs. Gilchrist, Guerrant, Mann, Pearson, Peterson, & Petri)
-
Vaccine development (Drs. Houpt, Mann, Petri, & Yuan)
-
Host genetic susceptibility to infection (Drs. Guerrant, Petri & Sifri)
-
Bacteriology (Drs. Guerrant, Hewlett, Hoffman, Houpt, Mann, Ramakrishnan & Sifri)
-
Virology (Drs. Hayden, Kedes & Yuan)
-
Hospital epidemiology and healthcare worker safety (Drs. Sifri & Jagger)
The Division is also home to interdisciplinary NIH and
foundation-supported training programs in infectious diseases,
biodefense and global health that involve faculty in 7 Departments in
the Medical School that train graduate students and postdoctoral
fellows.
Clinical activities include the management of virtually all infectious
diseases, with specific areas of expertise in HIV medicine (Drs.
Townsend, Scheld & Wispelwey), nosocomial infections and hospital
epidemiology (Drs. Sifri), pneumonia (Drs. Donowitz & Houpt),
diarrheal diseases (Drs. Guerrant & Petri), respiratory viral
infections and sinusitis (Drs. Hayden & Petri), cellulitis
(Dr. Hughes), infections in cancer patients (Drs. Donowitz &
Wispelwey), sexually transmitted diseases (Drs. Eby & Warren),
tropical medicine (Drs. Guerrant, Pearson & Petri), tuberculosis
(Dr. Houpt), tick-borne diseases (Drs. Petri & Scheld),
opportunistic viral infections (Dr. Kedes), meningitis and brain
abscess (Drs. Wispelwey & Scheld), fungal infections (Drs. Donowitz
& Scheld), and transplant infectious diseases (Drs. Sifri &
Wispelwey).
Infectious diseases physicians have leadership roles on the Infection
Control, Formulary, and Antibiotic Utilization Committees.
Inpatient consultations in Infectious Diseases and in Transplant
Infectious Diseases are provided at the University Hospital and at the
Augusta Medical Center. Infectious disease physicians also provide
substantial inpatient general medicine care. Outpatient clinics
include the Infectious Diseases Clinic (HIV and general infectious
diseases), Sexually Transmitted Diseases Clinic, and Travelers’
Clinic.
It is an exciting time to be involved in the study of infectious
diseases. Virginia has a long and storied tradition of excellence
as a foundation for what is now a rapidly growing clinical, research
and educational mission in infectious diseases in
Charlottesville.
Sincerely,
Bill Petri
