Talha Riaz
- Assistant Clinical Professor, Medicine - (Clinical Series Track)
- (520) 626-6453
- AHSC, Rm. 2301
- riazt@arizona.edu
Biography
Dr Riaz was born in Pakistan where he spent his formative years and earned his medical degree from the King Edward Medical College which happens to be the second oldest medical school in the Indian subcontinent. His interest in infectious diseases began while completing a research fellowship in cardiovascular infectious diseases at Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. This was followed by residency in internal medicine at the Cleveland Clinic Akron General. He completed his general infectious diseases fellowship at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC). Mentored by Dr Camelia Marculescu, he found enjoyment and intrigue in taking care of patients with musculoskeletal infections. He furthered his skills in the management of orthopedics infectious diseases and went again to the Mayo clinic and completed a fellowship in Orthopedics infectious diseases. Working under the membership of national leaders in Ortho ID including Dr Doug Osmon was truly a humbling experience. He has worked on multiple projects pertaining to osteoarticular infections including a multi- center research study that focused on the risk factors of fungal prosthetic joint infections.
Following completion of his fellowship, he worked in the Cleveland Clinic health system and served as staff at the Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED). In addition to his research interest in musculoskeletal infections, he also enjoys taking care of patients with cardiovascular infections including infective endocarditis and patients with cardiovascular device related infections. He also enjoys teaching and mentoring medical students and residents.
Interests
Teaching
Medical students, residents and fellows
Research
Orthopedic infectious diseasesCardiovascular infectious diseasesCoccidiodomycosis
Courses
No activities entered.
Scholarly Contributions
Journals/Publications
- King, R., Sekar, P., Patel, H., Naveed, M., Aqtash, S., Adroja, S., Jacob, D., & Riaz, T. (2023). CNS toxoplasmosis, a rare presentation in a patient with Myasthenia Gravis. IDCases, 32, e01780.More infoWe report the case of a 78-year-old man with a past medical history of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma s/p chemotherapy and Myasthenia Gravis on chronic mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), who presented with altered mental status and was found to have ring enhancing brain lesions. A brain biopsy revealed organisms consistent with . Cerebral toxoplasmosis has been rarely reported in patients with hematologic malignancies or in those receiving immunosuppressive agents. There needs to be a high degree of suspicion for in HIV-negative individuals who are on immunosuppressants drugs including MMF.
- Riaz, T., Berbari, E., Huddleston, P. M., Ross, C., Tande, A. J., Diehn, F., & Howard, M. (2022). Utility of disc space aspirate cell counts and differentials in the diagnosis of native vertebral osteomyelitis. Journal of bone and joint infection. doi:10.5194/jbji-7-213-2022More infoAbstract. Background: Aspiration of intervertebral disc space is often done to confirm the diagnosis of native vertebral osteomyelitis. A study has not been done examining the utility of cell counts and differentials of the aspirated fluid in diagnosing native vertebral osteomyelitis (NVO). Methods: In this feasibility study, we prospectively enrolled patients with a suspected diagnosis of NVO referred to the Division of Neuroradiology for image-guided needle aspiration of the intervertebral disc. In this study, manual cell count was done on the aspirated fluid, followed by a differential cytospin technique and touch prep. We obtained demographic, lab, and microbiologic data and used the receiver operating curve (ROC) for statistical analysis. Results: Over 12 months, we performed 17 aspirates on 14 patients. The median age was 70.5 years (range: 45–77). The median manual cell count on the aspirated fluid was 52 cells µL−1 (range: 0–6656), the median neutrophil percentage on the touch prep slide was 73 % (range: 5 %–100 %), and the median neutrophil percentage on the cytospin slide was 82 % (range: 0 %–100 %). Routine bacterial cultures were positive in five cases, and the 16S ribosomal RNA gene polymerase chain reaction was positive in two cases. The optimal cutoff for a cell count of 104 total nucleated cells offered a sensitivity and specificity of 86 %, and a neutrophil cutoff of 83 % was associated with a 71 % sensitivity and specificity. Conclusion: An image-guided aspirated specimen leukocyte differential of ≥83 % neutrophils or a leukocyte count of ≥104 µL−1 was a sensitive and specific test for diagnosing patients with suspected NVO. Additionally, more extensive studies are warranted to confirm the findings.
- Riaz, T., Lao, N., Idowu, A. B., Sommer, J., & Adebolu, O. I. (2022). Vertebral osteomyelitis and epidural abscess due to Listeria monocytogenes – case report and review of literature. Journal of bone and joint infection. doi:10.5194/jbji-7-75-2022More infoWe describe a case of native vertebral osteomyelitis (NVO) secondary to Listeria monocytogenes in a patient with polymyalgia rheumatica receiving chronic steroids. Treatment required surgical debridement of the epidural phlegmon and combination therapy with intravenous ampicillin and gentamicin.
- Riaz, T., Sia, I. G., Osmon, D. R., Lehman, J. S., Schuetz, A. N., Rizzo, M., Enzler, M. J., & Collins, M. S. (2021). Left hand extensor tenosynovitis due to Histoplasma capsulatum complicated by immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome. Journal of bone and joint infection. doi:10.5194/jbji-6-355-2021More infoWe describe a case of left hand extensor tenosynovitis due to histoplasmosis in a patient with dermatomyositis on chronic immunosuppression. Treatment involved surgical debridement and antifungal therapy. The patient experienced paradoxical worsening of tenosynovial inflammation during de-augmentation of immunosuppression felt to be immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome.
- Riaz, T., Marculescu, C. E., Osmon, D. R., Salgado, C. D., Demos, H. A., Steed, L. L., & Tande, A. J. (2020). Risk Factors for Fungal Prosthetic Joint Infection. Journal of bone and joint infection. doi:10.7150/jbji.40402More infoAbstract. Background: Fungal prosthetic joint infections (PJIs) are rare and often associated with poor outcome; however, risk factors are not well described.Methods: This was a retrospective case control study among all patients with PJIs from 2006-2016 at two major academic centers. Each fungal PJI case was matched 1:1 with a bacterial PJI control by joint (hip, knee, shoulder) and year of diagnosis. We compared demographics, comorbidities, and clinical characteristics between cases and controls using chi square/Fisher's exact or Wilcoxon rank sum test. Independent risk factors were identified with multivariable logistic regression.Results: Forty-one fungal PJIs occurred over the study and 61% were due to Candida albicans. The hip was involved in 51.2% of cases, followed by the knee (46.3%). Compared to bacterial PJI, fungal PJI cases were more likely to have received antibiotics within the previous 3 months (70.7% vs 34%, P=.001), wound drainage lasting >5 days (48% vs 9%, P=.0002), had a lower median CRP (2.95 mg/dl vs 5.99, P=.013) and synovial fluid white blood cell count (13,953 cells/mm3 vs 33,198, P=.007), and a higher proportion of prior two-stage exchanges (82.9% vs 53.6%, P=.008). After controlling for center, prolonged wound drainage (OR, 7.3; 95% CI, 2.02-26.95) and recent antibiotics (OR, 3.4; 95% CI, 1.2-9.3) were significantly associated with fungal PJI.Conclusion: In our study, Candida albicans was the most common species in fungal PJIs and prolonged wound drainage and recent antibiotics were independent risk factors. These clinical characteristics may help providers anticipate fungal PJI and adjust management strategies.
