USF Health’s IDPodcasts

Dr. Ambuj Kumar, Professor of Medicine with the USF Morsani College of Medicine, shares his perspectives on how to create and conduct a clinical research study. Among the topics discussed includes study design, the distinctions between randomized controlled trials, case-control studies, and retrospective cohort trials, and how to frame the proper clinical question for study development. The importance of having timely and specific communication, teamwork, and respecting deadlines is also emphasized.

Dr. Patrick Danaher, Infectious Diseases Clinician at the USF Morsani College of Medicine, discusses the various dermatologic manifestations of HIV in this recorded session. Among the topics discussed includes genital herpes disease, Zoster, Mpox infections, MRSA skin lesions, and Kaposi sarcoma. The lecture is presented in a case-based interactive format and is updated for 2025

Dr. Jose Montero, Professor of Medicine at the University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, presents an overview of the management of Surgical Site Infections (SSIs) for an Infectious Diseases specialist. The lecture opens with a discussion of the history of SSI management, reviewing milestones in the prevention of these infections and their discoverers, from Semmelweis, to Lister, to Koch. Next, the sources of SSIs are differentiated. Dr. Montero then reviews risk factors for SSIs, and then covers prevention strategies. A major strategy for infection prevention during surgery is antimicrobial prophylaxis, and Dr. Montero highlights systemic and topical antimicrobials useful for this purpose, including timing of administration and duration. Lastly, the speaker focuses on MRSA as an SSI pathogen and offers special considerations for this organism.

Dr. Kami Kim, Chief of Infectious Diseases at the Division of Infectious Diseases, USF Morsani College of Medicine, reviews one of the few truly emergent infectious diseases, Malaria. Dr. Kim begins by discussing the differential of fever in the returning traveller. Next focusing on Plasmodium, she discusses diagnostic techniques, including thick and thin smears and Malaria rapid diagnostic tests. Similarities and differences of the individual species of Plasmodium are next discussed, including Falciparum, Vivax, Ovale, and Malariae. Lastly, the complications of Malaria infection are covered, followed by a brief discussion regarding Dengue virus disease.

Dr. Jackie Sherbuk, Assistant Professor of Medicine with the USF Morsani College of Medicine, presents an interactive session regarding infections of the skin and soft tissues. Topics discussed include impetigo, folliculitis, furunculosis, cellulitis, necrotizing skin and soft tissue infections, aquatic cellulitis, animal bite infections, cutaneous anthrax, sporotrichosis, and staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome. A question and answer format is used, and the format is suitable for board preparation.

Dr. Vivian Vega, Assistant Professor at the USF Morsani College of Medicine, presents a discussion about infections of the central nervous system. Dr. Vega begins by discussing encephalitis. Pathogens discussed include Herpes Simplex virus, West Nile virus, Enterovirus, Varicella Zoster, Arboviruses and Rabies. Next, bacterial meningitis is addressed. Lastly, causes of chronic meningitis are elucidated, and Eosiniphilic and health-care associated meningitis are briefly discussed.

Dr. Ambika Eranki, Assistant Professor of Medicine at the USF Morsani College of Medicine, presents a review session on infections spread by Ticks. Dr. Eranki addresses specific tick-borne syndromes and arthropod vectors. The speaker also explains how climate change is affecting the distribution of arthropods critical to the spread of these diseases. Syndromes further discussed include Lyme disease, post-Lyme disease syndrome, Anaplasmosis, and Babesiosis.

Dr. John Greene, Professor of Medicine and Chief of Infectious Diseases at Moffitt Cancer and Research Institute, conducts this photo review of various human endemic fungal infections. Covered topics include mycetoma, chromoblastomycosis, phaeohyphomycosis, Sporotrichosis, cryptococcosis, histoplasmosis, blastomycosis, coccidioidomycosis, and paracoccidioidomycosis. The presentation is suitable for infectious diseases board examination testing.

Dr. Ambika Eranki, Assistant Professor at the Division of Infectious Diseases and International Medicine, presents this review of infections associated with native and prosthetic joints, in addition to infectious of the spine and vertebrae. Dr. Eranki begins by presenting some case based examples of bone and joint infections. She then discusses the definitions and workup of infectious arthritis, septic arthritis, vertebral osteomyelitis, and prosthetic joint infections. A brief review of infections of the diabetic foot is also presented. Dr. Eranki closes by sharing recent important medical publications for bone and joint infections and the diabetic foot.

Dr. Sally Alrabaa, Co-Director of Transplant Infectious Diseases at the Morsani College of Medicine, presents an overview of infection issues surrounding the solid organ transplant patient. Dr. Alrabaa differentiates specific infections based upon the early, medium, and late transplant periods. She then covers infections associated with certain specific immunosuppressive regimens. Next, the speaker discusses infections characteristic of different transplant types, including kidney, heart, liver, and lung transplants. Lastly, Dr. Alrabaa briefly touches upon Covid-19 and transplantation.

Dr. Robert Castro, Infectious Diseases Clinician at the Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, presents this review on infections associated with vector-borne and zoonotic exposures. Dr. Castro begins by discussing vector -borne infections, dividing them into mosquito-borne and tick-borne diseases. Syndromes discussed include Dengue, Chikyunguna, West Nile Virus, and Japanese Encephalitis. Next, Zoonotic infections such as Rabies Virus, Hantavirus, Orf virus, and B virus are covered. Dr. Castro closes by discussing vector control strategies.

Dr. Anthony Cannella, Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of South Florida College of Medicine, presents a board review session on parasitology, originally recorded in June 2025. (Please note that due to recording issues, some excessive slide cropping occurred for certain slides, and a few frames may not be completely legible. We apologize for the production errors.)

Dr. Rachel Irby, Senior Infectious Diseases Physician and founder of the Infectious Disease Team(TM) practice in Largo, Florida, reviews infections of cardiovascular devices. To begin, Dr. Irby defines the functions and patient types suitable for a Left Ventricular Assist Device, and how an LVAD integrates with a heart failure management program. Dr. Irby then reviews the types of infections that occur with an LVAD, along with the symptoms and signs of an infection. The work-up of LVAD/Driveline infections is then discussed, followed by the management steps for mild, moderate, and pump-related infections. Infections according to specific pathogens are then covered. Next, the speaker mentions how to prevent LVAD/Driveline infections. Lastly, Dr. Irby discusses the management steps utilized in heart failure management to get a patient to eventual heart transplantation.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Dr. Jackie Sherbuk, Assistant Professor of Medicine at the USF Morsani College of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, presents a case-based discussion of gram positive organisms producing disease in humans. Infections discussed include Staphylococcus aureus, Coagulase negative Staphylococcus, Pneumococcus, Streptococcus spp., Enterococcus, Corynebacterium, Bacillus, and Erysipelothrix. Associated clinical syndromes are also discussed.