Infectious Disease Services

Our infectious disease specialists conduct research, care for patients and work to prevent infections.

Group of floating viruses with blue background - 3D illustration

UCLA Health excellence in infectious disease research and care

Infectious disease specialists are like medical detectives. We work with other physicians to help diagnose some of the most complex diseases. We also develop infection-prevention strategies and treatment options.

At UCLA Health, our infectious diseases team includes experts in treatment, research and education. Highlights of our division include:

Specialized care: Infectious disease specialists assist with many teams throughout UCLA Health. We care for general medical and surgical patients. We also specialize in infectious disease care for patients with specific needs, such as global travelers, transplant patients or people with HIV.

Community outreach: In addition to caring for patients in our programs, we aim to improve the health and well-being of our community. Through our Antibiotic Stewardship Program, we promote proper antibiotic use. Our Hospital Infection Control and Epidemiology teams help us ensure we are keeping all of our patients safe and healthy.

Worldwide reach: Not only do we treat patients in the Los Angeles area, but we also care for patients internationally. Through our Global Health Program, we treat patients, conduct infectious disease research and improve health care in countries across the world.

Dedication to research: One of the tenets of UCLA Health is a commitment to research. In the Division of Infectious Diseases, our specialists help advance medicine through research. We study HIV prevention, vaccine development, viral hepatitis, swine flu and COVID-19, just to name a few areas of focus.

Our infectious disease services

We offer a range of general and specialized infectious disease services. Our areas of care include:

Inpatient care: Infectious disease specialists provide consultations at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center and UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center. We also offer specialized services for hospitalized organ transplant patients, before and after surgery.

Outpatient care: Our infectious disease specialists diagnose and treat patients with suspected or known infections. We oversee patients who require intravenous (IV) antibiotics and help with ongoing care management after patients leave the hospital.

Global Health Program: The goal of this program is to treat patients, conduct research and strengthen health care systems across the world. Some of the countries we have served include China, Malawi, Peru and South Africa. We involve fellowship trainees in the Global Health Program, extending the reach of patient care, research and education.

HIV care: Our team provides compassionate, comprehensive HIV treatment. We have been leaders in investigating new treatments for HIV. Some of our studies include research in antiviral therapies, growth factor therapy and novel gene therapy approaches.

Travel clinics: Through these clinics, we offer the full range of services for travelers. Patients may visit our travel clinics for immunizations or specialized advice. They may also come to us for diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases acquired during foreign travel.

Infectious diseases we treat

Our infectious disease specialists use leading-edge medicines to treat all types of infections, including bacterial, viral, fungal and parasitic infections. Some of the most common infections we treat include:

Malaria: A parasitic infection carried and spread by mosquitoes.
Meningitis: Inflammation and infection of the fluid and lining that protects the brain and spinal cord.
Pneumonia: Infection of one or both lungs that leads to inflammation and possible fluid buildup.
Sepsis: A life-threatening complication of infection that occurs when the body triggers a chain reaction of inflammation.
Tuberculosis: An infectious disease that typically attacks the lungs but can spread to other parts of the body.
Urinary tract infection (UTI): A bacterial infection in any part of the urinary system, including the bladder, urethra or kidneys.

Meet our team

Our infectious disease specialists are experts in patient care, research and education. We assist many teams throughout UCLA Health, provide outpatient care and have global reach through our specialized programs.