Infectious Diseases

Rosie battled a rare and life-threatening infection. Read her “one in a million” story.

Overview

The Division of Infectious Diseases specializes in the diagnosis, management and prevention of serious, complicated or unusual infections in children. Expert care is provided by the infectious disease specialists of Rady Children’s Specialists of San Diego.

The Division is also an integral part of the teaching program for the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, training the best and brightest medical students, pediatric residents and pediatric infectious diseases fellows.

Our services include:

• Inpatient and outpatient consultation
• Specialized laboratory testing and interpretation of results
• Outpatient Parenteral Antibiotic Therapy (OPAT) Clinic

Outpatient clinics are held twice weekly for new patient evaluations and follow-up visits of children previously seen at the Hospital or clinic. Physicians wishing to refer children with urgent or problematic infections may do so any day of the week.

The Division is a leader in basic science and clinical research, with a focus on new antibiotics, antifungal and antiviral therapy, and investigational treatment with immune modulators.

Video: Learn about our world-class program from Division Chief Dr. George Liu

Division Achievements:

• Chris Cannavino, M.D., received the 2021 Barbara and Paul Saltman Distinguished Teaching Award, which is given to up to five members of the Academic Senate, three non-Senate faculty members and three graduate students at UC San Diego each year.
• John Bradley, M.D., received the 2020 Distinguished Physician Award from the Pediatric Infectious Disease Society, recognizing his achievements as a clinician, educator and researcher.
• Mark Sawyer, M.D., was named to both the Food and Drug Administration’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee and the state of California’s COVID-19 Vaccine Safety Panel
• John Bradley, M.D., received a promotion to Distinguished Professor in the UC San Diego School of Medicine, the highest rank conferred on the university’s faculty.
• A group of Rady Children’s specialists and UC San Diego faculty, led by John Bradley, M.D., were awarded a $3 million grant to investigate how kids metabolize a sepsis-fighting antibiotic.

In the News

• Whooping Cough and Walking Pneumonia Cases Surge in San Diego, cbs8.com, features Edmund A. Milder, M.D., MSCE, FAAP 
• Walking Pneumonia, Whooping Cough Surge in San Diego County, The San Diego Tribune, features Alice Pong, M.D.
• Covid Positivity Rate Hits 21% as Students Return to School, kpbs.org, features Edmund A. Milder, M.D., MSCE, FAAP 
• First San Diego County Measles Case Of The Year Confirmed In 1-year-old, cbs8.com, features Edmund A. Milder, M.D., MSCE, FAAP 
• What to Know About White Lung Pneumonia, Health.com, features Edmund A. Milder, M.D., MSCE, FAAP 
• Whooping Cough Cases on Rise in San Diego County, fox5sandiego.com, features Edmund A. Milder, M.D., MSCE, FAAP 
• Where to Get Your Covid-19 Vaccine or Booster Shot, cbs8.com, features Edmund A. Milder, M.D., MSCE, FAAP 
• Discussing FDA-approved nirsevimab-alip for RSV prevention, Contemporary Pediatrics, features John Bradley, M.D. 
• Q&A: Pediatric RSV prevention tools are a ‘game changer, Healio, features John Bradley, M.D. 
• San Diego County has seen 20 cases of fungal threat that CDC calls a growing concern, The San Diego Tribune, features John Bradley, M.D. 
• A ‘Tripledemic’ Hitting Kids Across the Country Has Some People Blaming ‘Immunity Debt.’ But Experts Say That’s Misguided—and Could Be Damaging, Fortune, features John Bradley, M.D. 
• California Sees Increase in RSV, a Respiratory Illness That Can Be Dangerous for Babies, Los Angeles Times, features Alice Pong, M.D.
• A Staph Vaccine Trial Failure Shows Challenges of Stopping Common Bugs, Scientific American, features George Liu, M.D., Ph.D.
• Opinion: COVID-19 Vaccination Is Approved for Babies. As a Pediatrician, Here’s Why I Recommend It, The San Diego Union-Tribune, features John Bradley, M.D. 
• Omicron is a ‘Different Beast’ in Kids, but it Doesn’t Seem More Dangerous, Disease Experts Say, Business Insider, features Mark Sawyer, M.D.
• Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine Reduces Risk of MIS-C in Children by 91 Percent, Healthline, features Mark Sawyer, M.D.
• Three Big COVID Misconceptions People Still Have, According to Infectious Disease Experts, CNBC, features Mark Sawyer, M.D.
• Can You Get a COVID-19 Booster in San Diego?, The San Diego Union-Tribune, features Mark Sawyer, M.D. 
• Q&A: What’s Going On With COVID Booster Shots? A San Diego Expert Explains, The San Diego Union-Tribune, features Mark Sawyer, M.D.
• Eight Chest Pain Cases Among Adolescent Boys Detected After COVID Vaccination in San Diego, The San Diego Union-Tribune, features Mark Sawyer, M.D.
• Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine Expands to San Diego Children Starting Thursday, 10news, features Mark Sawyer, M.D.
• San Diego Schools Offer COVID Vaccine Clinics to Get Teenage Students Vaccinated,The San Diego Union-Tribune, features Mark Sawyer, M.D.
• FDA and CDC Give OK to Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 Vaccine After Pause, The San Diego Union-Tribune, features Mark Sawyer, M.D.
• Yes, the Coronavirus Mutates. No, that Doesn’t Spell Doom for Vaccines, The San Diego Union-Tribune, features Mark Sawyer, M.D.
• Rady Children’s Hospital, Naval Medical Center San Diego First to Administer COVID-19 Vaccine, The San Diego Union-Tribune, features John Bradley, M.D. 
• Q&A: An FDA Panel Endorses Moderna’s COVID Vaccine, The San Diego Union Tribune, mentions Mark Sawyer, M.D.
• San Diego’s COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout Set to Begin in Days, with Demand Exceeding Supply, The San Diego Union-Tribune, features Mark Sawyer, M.D.
• ‘Every Parent’s Worst Nightmare’: 3-Year-Old Loses Legs After Skinning His Knee on Vacation, USA Today, features John Bradley, M.D.
• Two from San Diego Named to Governor’s COVID-19 Vaccine Safety Panel, The San Diego Union-Tribune, features Mark Sawyer, M.D.
• In-Depth: When Will San Diego Playgrounds Reopen?, 10news.com, features infectious disease specialist Mark Sawyer, M.D. and psychologist Brent Crandal
• Are Schools Reopening Safely? Experts Recommend Measures Beyond State Guidelines, The San Diego-Union Tribune, mentions John Bradley, M.D.
• What Can Oliver Tell Us About COVID-19 and Kids?, The San Diego Union-Tribune, features Mark Sawyer, M.D., Laurie Bernard, M.D., Char Neder and Kelsey Nagel
• Fact-checking COVID Claims Made on County Supervisor’s Podcast, The San Diego Union- Tribune, features Mark Sawyer, M.D.
• Getting Children Flu Shots Is Even More Important This Year, The New York Times, features Mark Sawyer, M.D.
• Study Shows Surge in Coronavirus Cases Among Children, nbcsandiego.com, features Mark Sawyer, M.D.
• San Diego Continues to See a Spike in Coronavirus Cases, kusi.com, features Mark Sawyer, M.D.
• Before Schools Reopen, Parents Urged to Catch Up on Kids’ Missed Vaccinations, National Geographic, features Mark Sawyer, M.D.
• As Day Cares Reopen, Parents Face Difficult Decisions, KPBS, features Mark Sawyer, M.D.
• Infectious Diseases Specialist Mark Sawyer, M.D., Answers Questions About the Effectiveness of Face Coverings in Preventing the Spread of COVID-19
• Rady’s Infectious Disease Doctor On Why Coronavirus Doesn’t Hit Children As Hard, kpbs.org, features Mark Sawyer, M.D.
• Flu Numbers Show Power of Social Distancing Even as COVID Claims Five More Lives, The San Diego Union-Tribune, features John Bradley, M.D.
• Expert from Rady Children’s Hospital Explains What You Need to Know About COVID-19, kusi.com, features John Bradley, M.D.
• Fifth Suspected Coronavirus Case Reported in San Diego, The San Diego Union-Tribune, features John Bradley, M.D.
• Dr. John Bradley Shares Important Information About the Risks of Coronavirus , cbs8.com (video)
• San Diego Flu Cases Up, but Severity and Deaths Are Down, cbs8.com, features John Bradley, M.D.
• San Diego County Sees Spike in Mumps Cases, KPBS, features Mark Sawyer, M.D.
• A 6-Year-Old Boy is Latest Fair-linked E. Coli Case in San Diego, Del Mar Times, features John Bradley, M.D.
• Dr. John Bradley on the E. Coli Infections Linked to the San Diego County Fair, kusi.com
• Rady Children’s Expert Comments on New Statewide Chicken Pox Vaccine Policy, The San Diego Union-Tribune, features Mark Sawyer, M.D.
• Rady Children’s Prepares Isolation Rooms for Future Measles Patients, nbcsandiego.com, features nurse Megan Medina
• San Diego Doctors on High Alert for Measles, KPBS, features Mark Sawyer, M.D.
• One Doctor Is Responsible for a Third of All Medical Vaccine Exemptions in San Diego,Voice of San Diego, features Mark Sawyer, M.D.
• San Diego Doctors on High Alert for Measles, KPBS, features Mark Sawyer, M.D.
• Flu Kills two Young and Healthy, but Unvaccinated County Residents, The San Diego Union-Tribune, features Mark Sawyer, M.D.
• Does ‘New Polio’ Threaten the San Diego Area? La Jolla Light, features John Bradley, M.D.
• Back to School Vaccinations, kusi.com, features Mark Sawyer, M.D.
• Visitor, Staff Restrictions Vary in US Hospitals, Healio, features Alice Pong, M.D.
• Newborns are in the Crosshairs of Whooping Cough This Year, The San Diego Union-Tribune, features Mark Sawyer, M.D.
• Strep Vaccine Could Save Lives and Reduce Health Care Costs – So Why Don’t We Have One? Newsweek, features Mark Sawyer, M.D.
• San Diego County Health Officials Warn Of Looming Whooping Cough Epidemic, kusi.com, features Mark Sawyer, M.D.
• Flu Still Going Strong: Nearly 800 More Cases, 18 Deaths, The San Diego Union-Tribune, features Mark Sawyer, M.D.
• Pregnant Women Urged to Get Whooping Cough Shot amid Possible Epidemic,Valley Center Happenings, features Mark Sawyer, M.D.
• San Diego’s Second Flu Surge Continues to Grow, The San Diego Union-Tribune, features John Bradley, M.D.
• CDC: Flu Vaccine Is 25 Percent Effective Against Dominant H3N2 Strain, The San Diego Union-Tribune, features John Bradley, M.D.
• San Diego People: Impact of San Diego’s Flu Outbreak, kusi.com, features Mark Sawyer, M.D.
• 8 Reasons Parents Don’t Vaccinate (And Why They Should), Parents, features Mark Sawyer, M.D.
• Commentary | Why School Vaccinations Are Needed, by Mark Sawyer, M.D.
• Daptomycin Safe, Effective Treatment for Children with Gram-Positive Skin Infections, Healio, features John Bradley, M.D.
• Broken Arm Turns into Super Rare, 77-Day Ordeal in Hospital, The San Diego Union-Tribune, features John Bradley, M.D.
• Antibiotic Effective Against Drug-Resistant Bacteria in Pediatric Skin Infections, Innovations Report, features John Bradley, M.D.
• Two New Flu Deaths Reported in San Diego County, The San Diego Union-Tribune, features  Mark Sawyer, M.D.
• Pediatric Hospitals Show Wide Gap in EHR Safety Performance, Health Data Management, features Juan Chaparro, M.D.
• Genetics Tests Speed Source ID for Kids’ Fevers, MedPage Today, features Mark Sawyer, M.D.
• Vaccine Law Arrives as Kids Head Back to School, The San Diego Union-Tribune, features Mark Sawyer, M.D.
• Be Forewarned: Infectious Diseases Coming to a Practice Near You, Healio, features Mark Sawyer, M.D.
• Why Your Kids Likely Won’t Get the Flu Spray This Year, The San Diego Union-Tribune, features Mark Sawyer, M.D.
• Febrile Seizures After Childhood Vaccines Are Rare, Study Finds, NPR, features Mark Sawyer, M.D.
• New Breakthroughs for Treating MRSA Infections, kusi.com, features John Bradley, M.D.
• Antibiotic fights MRSA in Children, The San Diego Union-Tribune, features John Bradley, M.D., and Juan Chaparro, M.D.
• Meningococcal Disease is Increasingly Rare, But Still Deadly, The San Diego Union-Tribune, features Mark Sawyer, M.D.
• New Antibiotic Rules Are Key in Superbug Fight, The San Diego Union-Tribune, features John Bradley, M.D.
• Doctors Divided on Meningitis B Vaccine, The San Diego Union-Tribune, features Mark Sawyer, M.D.
• South Bay Teen Who Lost Leg to Flesh-eating Bacteria is Ready to Go Home, 10news.com, features John Bradley, M.D.
• Ebola Epidemic Discussed at San Diego Conference, KPBS, features Mark Sawyer, M.D.
• 11^th Annual “Kick the Flu” Summit in San Diego, NBC San Diego, features Mark Sawyer, M.D.
• As Kids Go Back to School, States Look to Encourage Vaccinations, CNN.com, features Mark Sawyer, M.D.
  
• Officials Hope to Dispel Vaccine Fears with New Law, The San Diego Union-Tribune, features Mark Sawyer, M.D.
  
• Pregnancy is the Best Time for Some Vaccines, The New York Times, features Mark Sawyer, M.D.
• Doctors Worry About Return of Vaccine-Preventable Ills in Kids, Medical Xpress, features Mark Sawyer, M.D.
• Vaccines Needed to Keep Diseases from Returning, PR Newswire, features Mark Sawyer, M.D.