Dr. Olga Klinkova, Assistant Professor at the USF Morsani College of Medicine, and Transplant ID Associate at Moffitt Cancer Center, presents this board review lecture on CMV infections in immunocompromised stem cell transplant recipients. Topics covered include the epidemiology of CMV infection, CMV pneumonitis, CMV GI disease, CMV diagnosis, CMV treatment post-transplant, resistant CMV infection, and CMV prophylaxis options, Interactive questions are included within the presentation.
Latest Podcasts
Measles: A Reemerging Threat
Dr. Rajshri Joshi, Infectious Diseases fellow at the USF Morsani College of Medicine, reviews Measles, a previously eradicated disease that is now making a huge comeback across several areas of the US in recent months. Topics covered include its history, means of transmission, pathophysiology, clinical course, complications, and management. Also covered include measles vaccination/prevention, as well as prevention (vaccination) and other adjunctive therapies.
Artificial Intelligence in Infectious Diseases
Dr. Kornblum, an Infectious Diseases fellow at the USF Morsani College of Medicine, reviews the rapidly advancing practice and integration of artificial intelligence technologies into mainstream medicine, with a focus on infectious diseases. Dr. Kornblum focuses on several central themes: (1) How good is the information provided by AI models, such as ChatGPT and Google Gemini or xAI’s Grok, for diagnosing complex medial cases. (2) What are the pitfalls of relying on AI models for medical diagnostics? (3) Are there safety concerns with integrating AI models into a physician’s workflow? And (4) what are the future directions for this technology.
Update on Clostridioides difficile
Dr. John Toney, Professor of Medicine at the USF Morsani College of Medicine, looks at the current landscape of Clostridioides difficile infection in the post-COVID environment. A great deal has changed in the years COVID-19 was a major health treat…including taxonomy, epidemiology, and disease prevalence and distribution, as well as treatment practices. Dr. Toney looks at the role of bile acids in C. difficile, as well as virulence mechanisms. Next, he describes the growing recognition for the need for two step testing to screen for true c. diff associated diarrhea. He then describes antimicrobial management, divided into first episode and subsequent recurrences. Also discussed are emerging biotherapeutic options for treatment and whether a C. difficile vaccine will ever be possible.
Histoplasmosis
Dr. Cilia Nazef, Infectious Diseases Fellow at the USF Morsani College Medicine, presents a talk on Histoplasmosis, an endemic fungal mycosis, in a case based format. Leading off with an in detail discussion of a fascinating patient, Dr. Nazef continues to discuss the clinical manifestations, diagnostic testing, and treatment of this fungal syndrome. She closes the presentation with information on late/long term complications and histoplasmosis in stem cell transplant patients.
Steroids for Various Infectious Diseases
Dr. Patimavirujh, A PGY-2 resident at the USF Morsani College of Medicine, reviews the use of steroid medication in the management of infectious diseases syndromes. Following an introduction on the history of steroids in medicine, the speaker compares and contrasts steroid agents with mineralcorticoid and glucocorticoid activity. Next, the pharmacokinetics of steroids are discussed, as well as dose equivalencies for the different steroid molecules. Next, the use of steroids for various infectious diseases are discussed, including for pneumonia (including Pneumocystis infection), bacterial meningitis, TB meningitis, and cryptococcal meningitis.
Sepsis
Dr. John Toney, Professor of Medicine at the USF Morsani College of Medicine, presents an update on the management of Sepsis. Dr. Toney begins by discussing the pathophysiology regarding sepsis and septic shock. He then shares the most recent sepsis guidelines. Next, he presents the stages of sepsis and covers the qSofa score. Next, Dr. Toney covers the management of sepsis, including resuscitation, antibiotics, and therapies that were once recommended which have either gone by the wayside or have been modified in the modern era.
Emerging Infections in the Current Century
Dr. Somboonwit, Professor of Medicine with the USF Morsani Division of Infectious Diseases, looks at important infectious diseases that have emerged over the last 20+ years, and the factors that have promoted their emergence. These include climate change, urbanization, international travel, and other factors. Syndromes examined include coronaviruses (SARS CoV1 and SARS CoV2), hemorrhagic fevers (Ebola), and vector-borne diseases (Zikavirus, Chikungunya, and Dengue). Future directions for managing emerging infectious diseases are also explored.