Ajay K. Sethi, PhD, MHS
Keywords: Adherence, Global health, HIV/AIDS, Infection control, Infectious disease, Substance use, Uganda, Antiretroviral therapy
Assistant Professor
Email: aksethi@wisc.edu
Biography:
Dr. Ajay Sethi received his Ph.D. in Epidemiology and M.H.S. in Molecular Microbiology and Immunology from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. He recieved a B.S. in Physiology from the University of Maryland, College Park. He is affiliated with the Center for Global Health and the Developmental Studies Program.
Dr. Sethi’s research interests lie broadly in the study of infectious diseases. His studies aim to identify modifiable behavioral and structural factors associated with transmission and morbidity if infection is established. His research employs both quantitative and qualitative methods in clinic- and community-based settings, observational and quasi-experimental study designs, and is conducted in both the U.S. and in Uganda. He works in the area of HIV/AIDS, strategies to improve adherence to antiretroviral therapy, hospital-acquired infections, alcohol and other substance use.
Affiliations/Associations:
- University of Wisconsin Center for Global Health
- University of Wisconsin Developmental Studies Program
- University of Wisconsin Africa Studies Program
- Institute for Clinical and Translational Research
- Society of Epidemiologic Research SER)
- American College of Epidemiology (ACE)
- International Association of Physicians in AIDS Care (IAPAC)
Publications:
Babigumira JB, Sethi AK, Smyth KA, Singer ME. Cost Effectiveness of Facility-Based Care, Home-Based Care and Mobile Clinics for Provision of Antiretroviral Therapy in Uganda. Pharmacoeconomics (in press).
Sethi AK, Gange, SJ. Relative time as an alternative measure of association in survival analysis. Wisconsin Medical Journal 2009; 108(5):266-8. 19743761.
Namagembe I, Jackson LW, Zullo MD, Byamugisha JK, Frank SH, Sethi AK. Consumption of alcoholic beverages among pregnant urban Ugandan women. Maternal and Child Health Journal. 2009 Jul 23. [Epub ahead of print]. PMID 19629663.
Chang S, Sethi AK, Eckstein BC, Stiefel U, Cadnum JL, Donskey CJ. Skin and environmental contamination with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in carriers identified clinically versus only through active surveillance. Clinical Infectious Diseases. 2009 May 15;48(10):1423-8. PMID: 19364286.
Bajunirwe F, Arts EJ, Tisch DJ, King CH, Debanne SM, Sethi AK. Adherence and Treatment Response among HIV-1-Infected Adults Receiving Antiretroviral Therapy in a Rural Government Hospital in Southwestern Uganda. Journal of International Association of Physicians in AIDS Care. 2009 Mar-Apr;8(2):139-47. PMID:19258526.
Bajunirwe F, Tisch DJ, King CH, Arts EJ, Debanne SM, Sethi AK. Quality of life and social support among patients receiving antiretroviral therapy in Western Uganda. AIDS Care. 2009 Mar;21(3):271-9. PMID: 19280404.
Sethi AK, Al-Nassir WN, Nerandzic MM, Donskey CJ. Skin and Environmental Contamination With Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci in Patients Receiving Oral Metronidazole or Oral Vancomycin Treatment for Clostridium difficile-Associated Disease. Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology. 2009;30(1):13-7. PMID: 19046063.
Zabarsky T, Sethi AK, Donskey CJ. Sustained reduction in inappropriate treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria in a long-term care facility through an educational intervention. American Journal Infection Control. 2008;36(7):476-80. PMID: 18786450.
Asiimwe S, Whalen CC, Tisch DJ, Tumwesigye E, Sethi AK. Prevalence and Predictors of High-risk Human Papilloma Virus Detection in a Population-based Sample of Women in Rural Western Uganda. International Journal of HIV & AIDS. 2008; 19(9):605-10. PMID: 18725551.
Al-Nassir WN, Sethi AK, Nerandzic MM, Bobulsky GS, Jump RL, Donskey CJ. Comparison of clinical and microbiological response to treatment of Clostridium difficile-associated disease with metronidazole and vancomycin. Clinical Infectious Diseases. 2008;47(1):56-62. PMID: 18491964.
Al-Nassir WN, Sethi AK, Li Y, Pultz MJ, Riggs MM, Donskey CJ. Both oral metronidazole and oral vancomycin promote persistent overgrowth of vancomycin-resistant enterococci during treatment of Clostridium difficile-associated disease. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy. 2008 Jul;52(7):2403-6. PMID: 18443120; PMCID: 18443120. PMCID PMC2443881.
Bobulsky GS, Al-Nassir W, Riggs MM, Sethi AK, Donskey CJ. Clostridium difficile Skin Contamination in Patients with C. difficile-Associated Disease. Clinical Infectious Diseases. 2008 Feb 1;46(3):447-50. PMID: 18181742.
Riggs M, Sethi AK, Zabarsky T, Eckstein EC, Donskey CJ. Asymptomatic Carriers are a Potential Source for Transmission of Epidemic and Non-Epidemic Clostridium difficile among Long-Term Care Facility Residents. Clinical Infectious Diseases. 2007 2007 Oct 15;45(8):992-8. PMID: 17879913.
Eckstein BC, Adams DA, Eckstein EC, Sethi AK, Yadavalli G, Donskey GJ. Reduction of Clostridium difficile and vancomycin-resistant enterococcus contamination of environmental surfaces after an intervention to improve cleaning methods. BMC Infectious Diseases. 2007;7:61. PMID: 17584935.; PMCID: PMC1906786.
Rodríguez BR, Sethi AK, Cheruvu VK, Mackay W, Bosch RJ, Kitahata M, Boswell SL, Matthews C, Bangsberg D, Martin J, Whalen CC, Sieg S, Yadavalli S, Deeks S, Lederman MM. Predictive value of plasma HIV RNA level on rate of CD4 T-cell decline in untreated HIV infection. JAMA. 2006;296(12):1498-506. PMID: 17003398.
Sethi AK. Adherence and HIV Drug Resistance. HIV Clinical Trials. 2004;5(2):112-5. PMID: 15116287.
Sethi AK. Adherence and HIV Drug Resistance. Hopkins HIV Report. 2004; 16(1):6-8. PMID: 14989193.
Sethi AK, Celentano DD, Gange SJ, Gallant JE, Vlahov D, Farzadegan H. High-risk behavior and potential transmission of drug-resistant HIV among injection drug users. Journal of AIDS. 2004; 35(5):503-10. PMID: 15021315.
Sethi AK, Celentano DD, Gange SJ, Moore RD, Gallant JE. Association between non-adherence to antiretroviral therapy and HIV drug resistance. Clinical Infectious Diseases. 2003;37(8):1112-8. PMID: 14523777.
Celentano DD, Galai N, Sethi AK, Shah N, Strathdee SA, Vlahov D, Gallant JE. Time to initiating highly active antiretroviral therapy among HIV-infected injection drug users. AIDS. 2001;15(13):1707-15. PMID: 11546947.
Courses Taught:
- PHS 801 Infectious Disease Epidemiology (3 credits)
- PHS 904 Special Topics in Epidemiology: HIV/AIDS (1 credit)
Infectious Disease Interest Group (IDIG):
I organize the UW-Madison Infectious Disease Interest Group. This group meets monthly and attended by researchers, practitioners, staff, and students interested in the population-based aspects of infectious diseases. The meetings are journal club-style. We may discuss an article or hear a member speak about their research. Attendees represent a wide range of departments at the University of Wisconsin and UW Hospitals, the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene, and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. Please email me to be added to our email distribution list.
Contact Details:
Address:
610 Walnut Street, 601 WARF
Madison, WI 52726-2397
Phone: +1.608.26(3.1756)
Fax: +1.608.26(3.2820)
Email: aksethi@wisc.edu
