The Division of Infectious Diseases at OHSU is dedicated to providing the region's best care for adults with infectious diseases.

Our clinical programs include:

• Antimicrobial Stewardship
• Infection Prevention and Control 
• Mycobacterial Diseases
• Outpatient Parenteral Antibiotic Therapy (OPAT)
• Transplant Infectious Diseases

Antimicrobial stewardship

Our antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASP) are committed to optimizing the use of antimicrobial medications with the goal of improving patient safety and outcomes and reducing antimicrobial resistance.

Antimicrobial stewardship clinical care

Our antimicrobial stewardship efforts span OHSU, the Portland VA Medical Center and Hillsboro Medical Center. We also frequently collaborate with the pediatric ASP team at Doernbecher Children’s Hospital. Physician-pharmacist teams co-lead the program at each site.

The antimicrobial stewardship teams: 

• Review antimicrobial use and provide recommendations to providers to optimize prescribing
• Develop guidelines to optimize antibiotic use
• Educate providers and trainees on the appropriate use of antibiotics

OHSU and Doernbecher together are designated an Antimicrobial Stewardship Center of Excellence by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA). We provide: 

• A unique pharmacist-led antibiotic allergy testing consult service
• Specialized stewardship support for immunocompromised patient populations
• Regional and local continuing medical education

Antimicrobial stewardship training

Infectious Diseases fellows complete the IDSA’s core antimicrobial stewardship curriculum and have the opportunity to participate in an antimicrobial stewardship elective in their second year.

Learn more about our Infectious Diseases Fellowship.

Antimicrobial stewardship research

The ASP teams frequently collaborate with the Outpatient Parenteral Antibiotic Therapy (OPAT) team as well as colleagues in the Oregon State University College of Pharmacy on research and quality improvement projects. Fellows have regularly participated in these projects.

Antimicrobial stewardship program leaders

The antimicrobial stewardship program at OHSU is led by Ellie Sukerman, M.D., Poornima Ramanan, M.B.B.S. and James Lewis, Pharm.D.

The ASP program at Portland VA Medical Center is led by Kristina Bajema, M.D., M.Sc. and Kimberly MacKay, Pharm.D.

The Hillsboro Medical Center program is led by Ellie Sukerman, M.D. and Betsy Shultz, Pharm.D.

Infection prevention and control

The infection prevention and control program protects patients, staff and communities across OHSU Hospital and clinics, Hillsboro Medical Center and the Portland VA Medical Center through comprehensive surveillance, outbreak response and evidence-based prevention strategies.

Infection prevention and control clinical care

Our program has grown over the past two decades to meet the evolving challenges of healthcare-associated infections. We work across every part of the hospital, from the emergency department and ICU to surgical services and stem cell transplant units. We partner with bedside nurses, surgical staff and quality and safety teams to implement evidence-based prevention strategies. We also work to prevent infections in the employee and visitor populations at these health care centers.

Our program: 

• Tracks and monitors healthcare-associated infections
• Investigates and manages outbreaks
• Implements prevention bundles, including for central line infections and surgical site infections
• Develops policies for emerging pathogens
• Takes part in public health planning and emergency response
• Assists in leading STAR (Stopping Transmission of Antibiotic Resistance), a Pacific Northwest network coordinating epidemiology effort across the region

During the COVID-19 pandemic, our program led the hospital's response alongside Occupational Health Sciences, protecting both patients and our workforce.

We work closely with local, county and state public health agencies on coordinated responses to pandemic flu, Ebola, MERS, COVID-19 and MRSA surveillance.

Infection prevention and control leadership

John Townes, M.D. and Lynne Strasfeld, M.D., lead the infection prevention and control program at OHSU. Holly Villamagna, M.D., leads the Hillsboro Medical Center program. Christopher Pfeiffer, M.D., and Monica Sikka, M.D., lead the Portland VA Medical Center program.

Mycobacterial diseases

The mycobacterial diseases program is the largest nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) program west of Denver. We provide specialized care across Oregon and the Pacific Northwest through the Oregon tuberculosis clinic and the bronchiectasis and NTM clinic, which is one of 27 designated Clinical Care Centers of Excellence.

Bronchiectasis and NTM clinic

Our bronchiectasis and NTM clinic is staffed by four providers with expertise in bronchiectasis and NTM infections. We partner with OHSU’s Adult Cystic Fibrosis Program and Casey Eye Institute.

We offer:

• Virtual and in-person care options to serve patients throughout Oregon and the Pacific Northwest 
• Co-management of mycobacterial infections with local pulmonologists, primary care provider
• Opportunity to enroll in multiple active clinical trials to increase options for the treatment of these complex diseases

Oregon tuberculosis clinic

Our TB clinic is staffed by four providers with epidemiologic and clinical expertise in TB infections. We work in close coordination with the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) TB program and local county health departments to manage TB infections across Oregon.

We offer:

• Virtual care to serve patients throughout Oregon and the Pacific Northwest regardless of county, primary care network or insurance status
• Co-management of active and latent tuberculosis infections with local primary care providers and county health departments
• Expert consultation to the OHA TB program for cases of complex TB infection

Mycobacterial diseases training

Our clinics offer the unique opportunity for Infectious Diseases fellows to see patients in each clinic to gain expertise in the management of mycobacterial diseases. Our faculty are leaders in developing practice guidelines and providing medical education at regional, national and international levels.

Learn more about our Infectious Diseases Fellowship.

Mycobacterial diseases research

Our robust research program is led by international research leader Kevin Winthrop, M.D., M.P.H., in collaboration with the OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Center for Infectious Disease Studies.

This program includes multiple active clinical trials, clinical cohorts and epidemiologic studies. Faculty member Cara Varley, M.D., M.P.H., currently holds a National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute K Award for research for mycobacterium avium complex core outcomes research.

Mycobacterial diseases leadership

Luke Strnad, M.D., Cara Varley, M.D., M.P.H., Chandler Church, M.D., M.Sc. and Kevin Winthrop, M.D., M.P.H. staff the mycobacterial diseases clinics at OHSU.

Outpatient Parenteral Antibiotic Therapy (OPAT)

Our Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy (OPAT) program provides comprehensive, multidisciplinary therapy outside the hospital setting. We also provide care for patients on complex oral antimicrobial therapy. Our program manages more than 700 outpatient antimicrobial courses per year, including Intravenous and oral.

We are committed to excellence in clinical care, education and research, and we offer robust opportunities for faculty, fellows, residents and students. 

OPAT clinical care

We offer longitudinal management of complex infections while ensuring safe transitions of care from inpatient to outpatient environments. We deliver care through a combination of in-person and telehealth visits, allowing for timely follow-up and close clinical monitoring.

Our program is comprised of: 

• Nurse navigators
• OPAT/ID pharmacist
• Medical assistant care coordinator
• ID physician program manager
• MD providers

Our multidisciplinary model optimizes outcomes and enhances patient safety, ensuring high-quality care, reducing long hospital stays and preventing avoidable readmissions.

With the increasing emphasis on oral antimicrobial therapies, we also administer complex outpatient antimicrobial therapy, or COpAT. We care for patients with all types of serious and complex infections, including bone and joint, neurosurgical, cardiovascular and other infections.

OPAT training

All Infectious Diseases fellows develop skills to implement OPAT/COpAT care plans. Fellows are actively involved in monitoring treatment response, lab surveillance and providing longitudinal follow-up in the outpatient clinic. 

ID fellows also learn care coordination with various team members and address complications and optimized patient outcomes across the continuum of care.

Learn more about our Infectious Diseases Fellowship.

OPAT research and scholarly opportunities

Our program supports a wide range of scholarly activities around OPAT outcomes and quality improvement initiatives. We have a strong track record of scholarly productivity, with publications focused on OPAT outcomes and OPAT care in substance use disorder patients and their discharge pathways. Fellows are also supported in developing and leading projects.

OPAT leadership

Jina Makadia, M.D., is the director of the OPAT team.

Transplant Infectious Diseases

We provide comprehensive care for patients undergoing organ transplantation, cellular therapies (including hematopoietic stem cell transplant and CAR T-cell therapy), chemotherapy and left ventricular assist device support.

Transplant infectious diseases clinical care

Our team works closely with transplant and oncology providers. We provide inpatient and outpatient care at OHSU and the Portland VA Hospital. At OHSU’s South Waterfront campus, our services are co-located with OHSU’s hematologic malignancy and BMT services for the convenience of our patients.

Our services include:

• Preventing and treating infection before and after transplant
• Developing infection prevention guidelines and protocols
• Leading antimicrobial stewardship for immunocompromised patients
• Guiding infection prevention and control for transplant populations

The transplant infectious disease program at OHSU is deeply embedded with OHSU Clinical Transplant and oncology programs.

Transplant ID fellowships and training

All OHSU Infectious Diseases fellows rotate on the transplant ID service. We believe that learning to care for immunocompromised and post-transplant patients is essential for any practice setting. 

Learn more about our Infectious Diseases Fellowship.

Transplant infectious diseases research

Our faculty participate in multicenter clinical trials and investigator-initiated studies.

OHSU was one of the founding members of the West Coast Transplant Infectious Disease Society nearly two decades ago. The group includes more than 100 experts who meet every other month for case presentations and education. 

Learn more about the West Coast Transplant Infectious Disease Society.

Transplant ID leadership

Lynne Strasfeld, M.D. is the medical director of the transplant infectious diseases program at OHSU.