Faculty

Victor L. Yu, MD Professor, Department of Medicine - School of Medicine and Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology - Graduate School of Public Health (Secondary Appointment) Chief, Infectious Disease Section, Veteran's Administration Medical Center E-mail: vly@pitt.edu Phone: 412-688-6179 Fax: 412-688-6950 Fax2: 412-688-6947 Address: Veteran's Administration Hospital Infectious Disease Section (111E-U) VA Medical Center University Drive C Pittsburgh PA 15240, U.S.A.

Education

BA; Carleton College; 1965
MD; University of Minnesota; 1970
Post-doctoral Fellowship; Stanford University; 1977

Research Interests

Legionellosis, antibiotic-resistant bacteria

Research Summary

Dr. Yu has conducted epidemiologic, clinical and microbiologic studies on Legionella. His laboratory is currently investigating ecological aspects of Legionella in water distribution systems, effects of immunosuppression and transplantation on acquisition of Legionella in animal models and experimental disinfection methods. Direct fluorescent antibody methods, monoclonal antibody subtyping, culture on selective media, DNA probe PCR, and ELISA serologic studies for Legionella are applied in these studies. Large-scale clinical and laboratory studies on patients with bacterial infections are conducted using a computer databank approach. Laboratory studies of antibiotic-resistant bacteria are in progress including studies on in vitro susceptibility and synergy, use of multiple agents, and mechanisms of resistance. Eight graduate students have been highly productive publishing over 70 peer-review publications, mostly first-authored.

Recent Publications

• Drenning, D.S., Stout J.E., Joly J.R.,and Yu V.L. (2000). Unexpected similariy of pulsed-field gel electrophoresis patterns of unrelated clinical isolates of Legionella pneumphila serogorup 1: similarity breeds contempt. J. Infect Dis. 183:628-632.
• Yu, V.L. (2000).  Nosocomial legionellosis. Curr. Opin. Infect. Dis. 13:385-388.
• Stout, J.E. and Yu, V.L.  (2001). Legionella in the hospital water supply: a plea for decision making based on evidence-based medicine. Infect. Control. Hosp. Epidemiol. 22:670-672.
• Yu, V.L. (2002). Legionella surveillance: political and social implications--a little knowledge is a dangerous thing. J. Infect. Dis. 185:259-261.
• Singh, N. and Yu, V.L.  (2002).  Prevention of antibiotic resistance in hospitals. Ann. Intern. Med. 136:173.
• Pedro-Botet, M.L., Stout, J.E., and Yu, V.L. (2002).  Legionnaires' disease contracted from patient homes: the coming of the third plague? Eur. J. Clin. Microbiol. Infect. Dis. 21:699-705.
• Singh, N., Stout, J.E, and Yu, V.L. (2002). Legionnaires's disease in a transplant recipient acquired from the patient's home: implications for management. Transplantation 74:755-756.
• Muder, R.R. and Yu, V.L. (2002).  Infection due to Legionella species other than L. pneumophila. Clin. Infect. Dis. 35:990-998.
• Lin, Y.S., Vidic, R.D., Stout, J.E., and Yu, V.L. (2002).  Negative effect of high pH on biocidal efficacy of copper and silver ions in controlling Legionella pneumophila. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 68:2711-2715.
• Chang, F.Y., Peacock, J.E. Jr., Musher, D.M., Triplett, P., MacDonald, B.B., Mylotte, J.M., O'Donnell, A., Wagener, M.M., and Yu, V.L. (2003). Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia: recurrence and the impact of antibiotic treatment in a prospective multicenter study. Medicine  82:333-339.
• Chang, F.Y., MacDonald, B.B., Peacock, J.E. Jr., Musher, D.M., Triplett, P., Mylotte, J.M., O'Donnell, A., Wagener, M.M., and Yu, V.L.   (2003). A prospective multicenter study of Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia: incidence of endocarditis, risk factors for mortality, and clinical impact of methicillin resistance. Medicine  82:322-332.
• Stout, J.E. and Yu, V.L.  (2003). Hospital-acquired Legionnaires' disease: new developments. Curr Opin Infect Dis.  16:337-341.
• Yu, V.L., Chiou, C.C., Feldman, C., Ortqvist, A., Rello, J., Morris, A.J., Baddour, L.M., Luna, C.M., Snydman, D.R., Ip, M., Ko, W.C., Chedid, M.B., Andremont, A., and Klugman, K.P, and the International Pneumococcal Study Group.  (2003). An international prospective study of pneumococcal bacteremia: correlation with in vitro resistance, antibiotics administered, and clinical outcome. Clin. Infect. Dis.  37:230-237.
• Seenivasan, M.H. and Yu, V.L. (2003). Staphylococcus lugdunensis endocarditis--the hidden peril of coagulase-negative staphylococcus in blood cultures. Eur. J. Clin. Microbiol. Infect. Dis. 22:489-491.