Research

The Division's faculty has a broad range of research interests. These include epidemiology and outcome of bloodstream infections, development and evaluation of innovative blood culture systems and methods, laboratory detection of emerging antimicrobial resistance, improved methods of in vitro susceptibility testing, HIV prevention and education, biofeedback and alternative medicine practices in patients with asthma, and therapeutic clinical trials for patients with HIV and other infectious diseases.

Dr. Mahal is the Principal Investigator of IRB Protocol #4165 "Stress Management and Relaxation Training/ Expressive Support Therapy (SMART/EST-II Women's Project). She is also a C-Investigator of "The Short-term Effects of HAART on Patients at Eric B. Chandler Health Center . Dr. Monteleone is also a Principal Investigator for an ongoing study: "A survey of the Use of Alternative Therapies in the Treatment of Asthma in Patients in Central New Jersey ."

Dr. Weinstein has research foci in the areas of bacteremia and blood culture methods, antimicrobial susceptibility testing, laboratory diagnosis of infectious diseases, and prevention of HIV infection. Specific projects during 2004-2005 included: Comparative evaluation of the BACTEC LX and BACTEC 9240 Blood Culture Systems. PI; HIV Antibody Counseling and Testing Site. PI, NJDHSS; Evaluation of a Revised Vancomycin Testing Panel for Detection of Vancomycin-Intermediate and Vancomycin-Resistant Gram-Positive Bacteria. PI; Evaluation of a Rapid Settling Charcoal Medium in the BacT/Alert Blood Culture System. PI; Comparative analysis of therapeutic regimens for the treatment of infections caused by ESBL-producing Klebsiella and E. coli. Co-I, (Mentored research with ID Fellows); Prevalence and characteristics of cases of malaria in central New Jersey over a 10 year period. PI, (Mentored research with Medical Resident); Multicenter comprehensive evaluation of the microbiology, epidemiology, and outcome of bloodstream infections in adults during 2004. PI, (Mentored research with ID Fellow).

Bibliography (in print 7/1/04-6/30/05)

Publications

Procop, G.W., S. Haddad, J. Quinn, M.L. Wilson, N.G. Henshaw, L.B. Reller, R.L. Artymyshyn, M.T. Katanik, and M.P. Weinstein : Detection of Pneumocystis jiroveci in respiratory specimens by four staining methods. J. Clin. Microbiol., 42:3333-5, 2004.

Weinstein, M.P. , S. Mirrett, S. Kannangara, J. Monahan, L.J. Harrell, A.C. Wilson, and L.B. Reller: Multicenter evaluation of the use of penicillin and ampicillin as surrogates for in-vitro susceptibility testing of imipenem versus enterococci. J. Clin. Microbiol., 42:3747-1, 2004.

Ahmad, N.M., M.P. Weinstein , and S.E. Boruchoff : Life threatening adenovirus pneumonia in an immunocompetent civilian adult. Infect. Dis. Clin. Prac., 13:39-41, 2005.

Mirrett, S., L.B. Reller, C.A. Petti, C.W. Woods, R. Magadia, M.P. Weinstein , and L.B. Reller: Controlled clinical comparison of new BacT/ALERT FN versus standard anaerobic blood culture bottles. J. Clin. Microbiol., 42:4581-5, 2004.

Weinstein, M.P. and L.B. Reller: Testing parameters for blood cultures (letter). Clin. Infect. Dis., 40:202, 2005. Baron, E.J ., M.P. Weinstein , W.M. Dunne, Jr., P. Yagupsky, D.F. Welch, and D.M. Wilson. Cumitech 1C, Blood Cultures IV . Coordinating Ed., E.J. Baron. ASM Press, Washington , D.C. 2005

Weinstein, M.P. : Editorial commentary: Emerging data that extended incubation of blood cultures is not clinically useful. Clin. Infect. Dis., In press.

Abstracts

Bhally, H., M.P. Weinstein , K. Joho, C. Petti, and K. Carroll: Utility of extended blood culture holds for isolation of HACEK organisms - a retrospective multicenter evaluation. Presented at the 42 nd Annual Meeting of the IDSA, Boston , MA., September 30 - October 2, 2004 .

Al-Jasim, M. and D.V. Alcid : Comparison of fluoroquinolone resistance before and after a formulary switch to a new quinolone. Presented at the 42 nd Annual Meeting of the IDSA, Boston , MA., September 30 - October 2, 2004 .