Specialty Infectious Disease Clinics

• Director: Steven Schmitt, MD
• Clinical Staff: Lucileia Teixeira Johnson, MD, Lulette Tricia Bravo, MD, Jorgelina de Sanctis, MD, Kristin Englund, MD, J. Walton Tomford, MD

The physicians in the Bone and Joint Clinic in the Medicine Institute’s Department of Infectious Disease work closely with colleagues in the Orthopedic and Rheumatic Institute to treat a variety of complex infections of the musculoskeletal system. We utilize a multidisciplinary, patient-centered approach to diagnose and treat infections such as septic arthritis of native joints, prosthetic (artificial) joint infections, and osteomyelitis (bone infections).

Active research in the Bone and Joint Clinic includes diagnostic algorithms using traditional and molecular techniques, and process improvement in management of bone and joint infections.

• Learn More About Bone and Joint Infections Research and Publications

• Director: Nabin Shrestha, MD
• CoPAT Nurse Coordinator: Carol Pickens, RN

Members of the Department of Infectious Disease play an integral role in the management of the CoPAT program which has one of the highest volumes by a single center in the country, and continues to grow. This multidisciplinary effort involves stakeholders from Cleveland Clinic main campus and Cleveland Clinic at Home, and includes physicians, discharge coordinators, pharmacists and clinical nurses. Notably, a staff physician from the Department of Infectious Disease evaluates and follows each patient who receives CoPAT.

• Director: Thomas Fraser, MD
• Clinical Staff: Steven Gordon, MD, Susan Rehm, MD, Dalia El Bejjani, Nabin Shrestha, MD

The Section of Cardiovascular Infections of the Department of Infectious Disease evaluate and treat patients with infected heart valves, pacemakers and defibrillators, and left ventricular assist devices. The scope of practice also includes patients with mycotic aneurysms and infectious complications of open and endovascular repair of visceral and peripheral vascular disease. Care is provided as part of the Cleveland Clinic’s multidisciplinary approach to these conditions.

• Learn More About Endocarditis Research and Publications.

• Director: J. Walton Tomford, MD
• Clinical Staff: Lucileia Teixeira Johnson, MD, Cyndee Miranda, MD, Lulette Tricia Bravo, MD, David van Duin, MD, PhD

The Granuloma Clinic is a group of Infectious Disease physicians at the Cleveland Clinic main campus dedicated to the care of patients with granulomatous disease. Granulomas are small inflammatory nodules in tissue consisting of epithelioid macrophages surrounded by a lymphocyte cuff. Granulomas can be seen in several inflammatory, rheumatologic and infectious diseases such as Crohn’s disease, tuberculosis (TB), histoplasmosis, non-tuberculous mycobacterial infections, blastomycosis, coccidioidomycosis, aspergillosis, sporotrichosis, leprosy, sarcoidosis, berylliosis, syphilis, Wegener’s granulomatosis and Churg-Strauss syndrome. Most granulomas occur in the lungs but they also can be seen in other parts of the body such as the skin, bone, liver, and kidney. They are sometimes found incidentally on X-rays or after surgical resections or biopsies. Granulomas may be confused with tumors on X-ray studies.

We evaluate and manage patients with granulomatous disease referred to us from the pulmonary clinic, chest surgery service, rheumatology clinic, primary care physicians and other specialties as well as self referrals. We are also the referral center for patients and Cleveland Clinic employees diagnosed with latent tuberculosis infection by tuberculin skin test or blood TB tests. We have daily appointments available. Our physicians are nationally recognized for their expertise and contributions to the management of patients with granulomatous disorders and welcome referrals.

• Learn More About Granuloma Research and Publications

• Co Directors: Alan Taege, MD, Marissa Tungsiripat, MD
• Clinical Staff: Ume Abbas, MD, Dalia El Bejjani, Rabin Shrestha, MD, Cyndee Miranda, MD, Lulette Tricia Bravo, MD, Kristin Englund, MD, Leonard Calabrese, DO, Elizabeth Kirchner, CNP

The Cleveland Clinic HIV group encompasses different facets of HIV medicine including patient care, education, and research. We provide comprehensive care for our HIV-infected patients including initial evaluation, implementation of antiviral therapy, and management of opportunistic infections.

As monitoring for comorbidities and treatment-related complications is emphasized, we coordinate our patients’ care with other physicians. We also serve an integral role in evaluation of HIV patients for liver and kidney transplantation at our institution. We have been awarded funding through Ryan White Title Assistance to provide support services for patients living with HIV/AIDS who are uninsured and underinsured in Northeast Ohio. We are responsible for the HIV-related education of fellows, residents and students. In addition, we provide HIV continuing medical education for the region. Our research interests center on metabolic complications of antiretroviral therapy, epidemic modeling, and clinical scenarios.

• Learn More About HIV Research and Publications.

• Director: Steven Mawhorter, MD
• Main Campus Clinical Staff: Steven Mawhorter MD, Nancy Ivansek, PA-C (travel specialist)
• Family Health Center and Health System Clinical Staff: Brent Burkey, MD [Westlake], Brenda Powell, MD [Beachwood], Dalia Mossad, MD [Willoughby Hills], Jonathan Leizman, MD [Bainbridge], Young Chen, MD [Chagrin Falls]

We are a coordinated group of full-service travel clinics providing pre-travel health and safety advice to persons planning to travel abroad. Our providers, with special additional training in International Health and Travel Medicine, will review your itinerary, length of stay, and current travel conditions/advisories for your destination to empower you to stay healthy while you travel for business or personal reasons.

All vaccinations (including yellow fever) and prescription medications necessary to facilitate safe travel can be administered or prescribed. We provide a comprehensive personalized review, and develop individualized packets of information for each client to take with them. Post-travel evaluation is available if you return home with questions or health concerns. Our clinic is listed with the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene and the International Society of Travel Medicine.

To schedule an appointment call 216.444.6415 or 800.223.2273 ext 46415.

• Co-Directors: David van Duin, MD, PhD, Jorgelina de Sanctis, MD
• Clinical Staff: Kristin Englund, MD

We evaluate and treat patients with recurrent skin infections caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). MRSA recurrent skin infections usually present with boils on the skin. These boils start out as hardened, red and warm areas, and may change into abscesses which drain pus. MRSA recurrent skin infections can occur in anybody, and often happens in people who are not otherwise ill. Treatment may involve surgical drainage, antibiotics and decolonization regimens.

• Director: Adarsh Bhimraj, MD
• Clinical Staff: Carlos Isada, MD, Jorgelina de Sanctis, MD, Lulette Tricia Bravo, MD

What is Neurologic-Infectious Diseases?

Neurologic Infectious Diseases is an emerging sub-specialty in Infectious Diseases and deals with infection of the brain, spinal cord and its linings (meninges). Some of the conditions that Neuro-ID specialists treat are meningitis (infection of the lining of the brain), brain abscess (pockets of pus in the brain), encephalitis (infection in the brain), and infections following neurosurgery.

These infections can case severe neurologic damage and mortality (some times death within days) if not accurately diagnosed and treated early. It often requires a multidisciplinary team approach involving, neurologists, neurosurgeons, neuron-intensivists neuro-radiologists and neuro-pathologists.

Neurologic-Infectious Diseases section at Cleveland Clinic

There are few hospitals and academic institutions in the US and in the world that have dedicated Infectious diseases services/ departments that concentrate in this field. Cleveland Clinic is one of the few such places. Cleveland Clinic’s Neurology and Neurosurgery programs have been consistently ranked among the top 10 in the nation and best in Ohio. This section has been established to promote outstanding patient care for infectious disorders of the nervous system. We have an exclusive in-patient consult service for patients admitted to the hospital with neurologic infections and an outpatient clinic where patients from different states in the US and several other countries seek care.

• Director: Sherif Mossad, MD
• Clinical Staff: Robin Avery, MD, David van Duin, MD, PhD, Lucileia Teixeira Johnson, MD, Cyndee Miranda, MD, Rabin Shrestha, MD, Alan Taege, MD, Steven Mawhorter, MD, Maureen Ioannou, CNP, Christine Koval, MD, Eric Cober, MD, Maricar Malinis, MD, Nabin Shrestha, MD

Infection and rejection are the two most important problems following transplantation. Thus, the transplant infectious diseases clinic provides a vital role in caring for transplant candidates and recipients. This process starts by careful individual assessment of transplant candidates for potential infectious complications following transplantation. Updating vaccinations is also an important part of this pre-transplant evaluation process. Following transplantation, ensuring adherence to antimicrobial prophylactic agents, revaccination, identifying and treating infectious complications require the expertise that our group can provide. Over the last two decades, we have established collegial relations with all the transplant programs at our institution. We believe that clear communication between the primary transplant clinician and the transplant infectious diseases specialist is imperative for the care of these complicated patients. Members of the group serve as liaisons to the various transplant programs at our institute and provide constant feedback.

Our group is comprised of 11 physicians, one certified nurse practitioner and one transplant infectious disease fellow. Individual experts from other departments, including Clinical Pathology, Pediatrics, Immunology, and Infection Control attend our biweekly meetings and provide vital advice to our group.

Members of the group have expertise in a variety of transplant infectious disease-related topics, including cytomegalovirus, fungal infections, respiratory viral infections, transplantation of patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus, infections with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, mycobacterial infections, and parasitic infections.

Members of the transplant infectious disease group are actively involved in clinical and translational research on a local and national level, and have published extensively on a variety of the above mentioned topics. We also provide education regarding prevention and treatment of infections to transplant candidates, their care givers, and health care providers at all levels.

Referrals : Transplant infectious disease specialists welcome consults from physicians in the community who are treating transplant patients and who want to discuss complex infectious disease issues. Please call 216-444-8845 to refer patients who are being considered for transplantation or patients who are post-transplant.

• Learn More About Transplant Infectious Disease Research and Publications