
Joanna Nelson
Clinical Assistant Professor, Medicine - Infectious Diseases
Bio
Dr. Nelson is a board certified Infectious Disease specialist. She specializes in the treatment of immunocompromised patients, including patients who have had solid organ or bone marrow transplantation or who have malignancy undergoing chemotherapy. She also has a special interest in caring for patients with Cystic fibrosis or who have had a lung transplant as well as Nontuberculous mycobacterial Infections.
Clinical Focus
- Infectious Disease
- Immunocompromised Host Infectious Disease
Professional Education
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Fellowship: Stanford University Infectious Disease Fellowships (2016) CA
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Fellowship: Stanford University Infectious Disease Fellowships (2015) CA
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Medical Education: Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School (2009) NJ
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Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Infectious Disease (2015)
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Residency: Rhode Island Hospital/Brown University (2012) RI
All Publications
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Sternal wound infection with Mycoplasma salivarium following bilateral lung transplant.
Transplant infectious disease : an official journal of the Transplantation Society
2023: e14120
View details for DOI 10.1111/tid.14120
View details for PubMedID 37622411
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Epidemiology of lower respiratory tract infections and community-acquired respiratory viruses in patients with bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome after hematopoietic cell transplant: a retrospective cohort study.
Transplantation and cellular therapy
2022
Abstract
Among 55 patients with bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome, 34 (61.8%) developed lower respiratory tract infections, which were associated with impaired lung function and a trend toward increased mortality. Rhinovirus/enterovirus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections predominated; 10 (18.2%) patients developed non-tuberculous mycobacterial infections.
View details for DOI 10.1016/j.jtct.2022.07.016
View details for PubMedID 35872303
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Strongyloides Hyperinfection After Immunosuppression in an Immigrant From El Salvador A Case for Early Diagnosis and Treatment
JCR-JOURNAL OF CLINICAL RHEUMATOLOGY
2021; 27 (4): E128-+
View details for Web of Science ID 000657235500003
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Covid-19 in hospitalized lung and non-lung solid organ transplant recipients: a comparative analysis from a multicenter study.
American journal of transplantation : official journal of the American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons
2021
Abstract
Lung transplant recipients (LTR) with Covid-19 may have higher mortality than non-lung solid organ transplant recipients (SOTR), but direct comparisons are limited. Risk factors for mortality specifically in LTR have not been explored. We performed a multicenter cohort study of adult SOTR with Covid-19 to compare mortality by 28-days between hospitalized LTR and non-lung SOTR. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to assess comorbidity-adjusted mortality among LTR vs. non-lung SOTR and to determine risk factors for death in LTR. Of 1,616 SOTR with Covid-19, 1,051 (65%) were hospitalized including 117/159 (74%) LTR and 934/1457 (64%) non-lung SOTR (p=0.02). Mortality was higher among LTR compared to non-lung SOTR (24% vs. 16%, respectively, p=0.035) and lung transplant was independently associated with death after adjusting for age and comorbidities (aOR 1.7, 95% CI 1.0-2.6, p=0.05). Among LTR, independent risk factors for mortality included single lung transplant (aOR 2.8, 95% CI 1.0-7.7, p=0.04) and chronic lung allograft dysfunction (aOR 3.6, 95% CI 1.0-12.4, p=0.05), but not age >65 years, heart failure, or obesity. Among SOTR hospitalized for Covid-19, LTR had higher mortality than non-lung SOTR. In LTR, single lung transplant and chronic allograft dysfunction were independently associated with mortality.
View details for DOI 10.1111/ajt.16692
View details for PubMedID 34008917
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Use of Remdesivir for Pregnant Patients with Severe Novel 2019 Coronavirus Disease.
American journal of obstetrics and gynecology
2020
View details for DOI 10.1016/j.ajog.2020.08.001
View details for PubMedID 32771381
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Challenges in Diagnosis and Management of Nontuberculous Mycobacteria in Solid Organ Transplantation
OBM Transplantation
2019; 3 (1)
View details for DOI 10.21926/obm.transplant.1901047
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PROCALCITONIN IS NONSPECIFICALLY ELEVATED IN ADULT HEMOPHAGOCYTIC LYMPHOHISTIOCYTOSIS
WILEY. 2019: S24
View details for Web of Science ID 000449991100049
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Strongyloides Hyperinfection After Immunosuppression in an Immigrant From El Salvador: A Case for Early Diagnosis and Treatment.
Journal of clinical rheumatology : practical reports on rheumatic & musculoskeletal diseases
2018
View details for PubMedID 30074914
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Donor-Derived Coccidioides immitis Endocarditis and Disseminated Infection in the Setting of Solid Organ Transplantation.
Open forum infectious diseases
2016; 3 (3): ofw086-?
Abstract
Background. Endocarditis is a rare manifestation of infection with Coccidioides. This is the first reported case of donor-derived Coccidioides endocarditis obtained from a heart transplant. Methods. We present a unique case of donor-derived Coccidioides immitis endocarditis and disseminated infection in a heart transplant patient. We also conducted a review of the literature to identify other cases of donor-derived coccidioidomycosis in solid organ transplant recipients and reviewed their clinical characteristics. Results. Fifteen prior cases of donor-derived coccidioidomycosis were identified. A majority of these cases were diagnosed by positive culture (83%). Mortality was high at 58%. Conclusions. Clinicians should maintain a high index of suspicion for disseminated coccidioidomycosis in patients who received transplants with organs from donors with a history of residing in endemic regions.
View details for DOI 10.1093/ofid/ofw086
View details for PubMedID 27413765
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Encephalitis caused by chikungunya virus in a traveler from the kingdom of tonga.
Journal of clinical microbiology
2014; 52 (9): 3459-3461
Abstract
Febrile travelers from countries with unique endemic pathogens pose a significant diagnostic challenge. In this report, we describe the case of a Tongan man presenting with fever, rash, and altered mental status. The diagnosis of Chikungunya encephalitis was made using a laboratory-developed real-time RT-PCR and serologic testing.
View details for DOI 10.1128/JCM.01288-14
View details for PubMedID 24958800