My research interests relate to the molecular diagnosis of infectious diseases. Within our diagnostic virology laboratory, we have developed molecular tests for the detection of multiple infectious disease agents, including all known human herpes viruses, polyoma viruses JC and BK, parvovirus B19, enteroviruses, HIV, Toxoplasma gondii, Bordetella pertussis and parapertussis, Ehrlichia, Rickettsia, Bartonella, Leptospira, Borrelia, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, and Chlamydia pneumoniae. Development of quantitative assays is an area of special interest, and quantitative assays for CMV, EBV, HHV-6, and BK virus have been developed. We have also implemented commercial tests for HIV RNA, hepatitis C RNA, hepatitis C genotyping, hepatitis B DNA, and have developed molecular tests for the detection of resistance of human cytomegalovirus and hepatitis B virus to antiviral drugs. Finally, we have also developed tests to detect specific forms of bacterial antibiotic resistance to antibiotics including methicillin, the fluoroquinolones, and the macrolides. This effort also includes assays to characterize the SCCmec cassette of MRSA strains and to detect the presence of the Panton-Valentine leukocidin.

Pediatric infectious diseases, viral infections, diagnosis of infectious diseases

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