Introduction from William A. Petri, Jr., M.D., Ph.D.,
Chief 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 24 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 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 $10 million in annual extramural funding and include:
-
Global health with NIH supported field research in Brazil, Bangladesh, Georgia and Tanzania (Drs. Guerrant, Mann, Pearson, Petri, & Scheld)
-
Biodefense and emerging infectious diseases including anthrax, tularemia, influenza and enteric pathogens (Drs. Gubareva, Guerrant, Hayden, Houpt, Hughes, Mann, Petri, Ramakrishnan, Scheld & Sifri). UVA is a major participating institution in the Middle Atlantic Regional Center of Excellence for Biodefense and Emerging Infections.
HIV/AIDS and STDs with clinical research in Charlottesville, Brazil, Haiti, Tanzania and Uganda (Drs. Guerrant, Houpt, Rein, Scheld, Townsend & Wispelwey) -
Clinical trials of anti-viral agents, anti-fungals and antibiotics, vaccines, and immune modulators (Drs. Donowitz, Gwaltney, Gubareva, Hayden & Scheld),
-
Parasitology (Drs. Gilchrist, Guerrant, Mann, Pearson & Petri)
-
Vaccine development (Drs. Houpt, Mann & Petri)
-
Host genetic susceptibility to infection (Drs. Guerrant, Petri & Sifri)
-
Bacteriology (Drs. Guerrant, Hewlett, Hoffman, Mann & Sifri)
-
Virology (Drs. Gubareva, Hayden & Kedes)
-
Hospital epidemiology and healthcare worker safety (Drs. Farr, Hall & 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. Hall, Townsend, Scheld & Wispelwey), nosocomial infections and hospital epidemiology (Drs. Farr & Hall), pneumonia (Drs. Donowitz & Mandell), diarrheal diseases (Drs. Guerrant & Petri), respiratory viral infections and sinusitis (Drs. Gwaltney & Hayden), cellulitis (Dr. Hughes), infections in cancer patients (Drs. Donowitz & Hall), sexually transmitted diseases (Dr. Rein), tropical medicine (Drs. Guerrant & Pearson), 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