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MSC09 5100
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001

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Gregory J Mertz, MD

Contact Information:
MSC10 5550
10 5550
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque NM 87131-0001
505-272-5666
gmertz@salud.unm.edu

Department:
Internal Medicine IM

Education:
Doctor of Medicine :
Rush Medical College, Rush University, (1977)
Bachelor of Arts :
The Johns Hopkins University, (1969)

Interests:
Since September 1999 I have been the principal investigator of a NIH-supported program project grant through the International Collaborations in Infectious Diseases Research (ICIDR) program. This program includes research projects on the ecology, pathogenesis, epidemiology and treatment of hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome in Chile and research on ecology and epidemiology of hantavirus infection in Panama. This research includes treatment trials for persons with hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome and studies investigating the route of person-to-person transmission of Andes virus infection in Chile.

I have had a long-standing research interest in genital herpes infections, including epidemiology, transmission, diagnosis, management and prevention. In genital herpes, I have conducted several key studies, including studies that identified the role of subclinical shedding in the transmission of genital herpes and the first controlled-trial of a herpes simplex vaccine in discordant couples. The latter trial allowed the first prospective evaluation of the risk of transmission of genital herpes between discordant partners. I helped design and served as an investigator in the first controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy of suppressive antiviral therapy in reducing the risk of transmission of genital herpes.

Active collaborations at UNM include the Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics (S-J Lee), Pathology (B Hjelle) and Biology (T Yates and J Cook). Active collaborations in the US include the Johns Hopkins University (G Glass) and St. Louis University (R Belshe). Active international collaborations include Universidad del Desarrollo (P Vial, F Valdivieso and T Manigold) and Pontificia Universidad Catolica (M Ferres, E Palma) in Santiago, Chile and the Gorgas Memorial Institute (B Armien and J Pascale) in Panama.