Andrej Spec, MD, MSCI

Andrej Spec, MD, MSCI

Associate Professor of Medicine

Dr. Spec’s research is in fungal infections, particularly in immunocompromised patients, including those with transplants. His research focuses on Cryptococcus, Histoplasma, Candida, Aspergillus and other invasive molds. He studies the epidemiology and factors that affect outcomes in patients infected with fungus, both in the United States and globally in resource limited settings of Guatemala and Ethiopia. He serves as the Associate Director of our Infectious Disease Clinical Research Unit (ID-CRU) and is actively involved in the Mycoses Study Group (MSG), through which he participates and runs multicenter studies focused on new diagnostic tests and treatments for invasive fungal infections, and is the creator and leader of the Washington University Mycoses Group (a consortium of researchers interested in fungal infections). Dr. Spec also runs the division’s clinic focusing on invasive fungal infections, where he takes care of both immunocompromised and immunocompetent patients with fungal infections, which he considers the best and most rewarding part of his job.

Patients seen at

Infectious Diseases Clinic
620 South Taylor Ave., Suite 100
St. Louis, MO 63110

Additional Titles
  • Associate Director, Infectious Diseases Clinical Research Unit (ID-CRU)
  • Director, Invasive Mycoses Clinic
  • Section Head of Transplant ID.
Education
  • BS, Molecular Biology, Minors in Chemistry and Biostatistics: Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL (2005)
  • Medical Degree: University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, IL (2010)
  • Internal Medicine Internship: Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL (2011)
  • Internal Medicine Residency: Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL (2013)
  • Infectious Diseases Fellowship: Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis MO (2016)
  • Masters of Science in Clinical Investigation: Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis MO (2017)
Board Certifications
  • American Board of Internal Medicine
  • American Board of Internal Medicine, Subspecialty of Infectious Diseases
Recognition
  • 2014 – IDSA Mentorship Award, Program Mentee
  • 2017 – Open Forum Infectious Diseases editorial board member
  • 2017 – Medical Mycology editorial board member
Selected Publications
  1. Spec A, Olsen MA, Raval K, Powderly WG. Impact of Infectious Diseases Consultation on Mortality of Cryptococcal infection in Patients without HIV. Clin Infect Dis. 2017 Mar 1;64(5):558-564. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciw786. Epub 2016 Dec 7. PubMed PMID: 27927865.
  2. Spec A, Barrios CR, Ahmad U, Proia LA. AST to ALT Ratio is elevated in disseminated histoplasmosis  as compared to localized pulmonary disease and other endemic mycoses. Med Mycol. 2017 Jul 1;55(5):541-545. doi: 10.1093/mmy/myw106.PubMed PMID: 27744308.
  3. Spec A, Raval K, Powderly WG. End-Stage Liver Disease Is a Strong Predictor of Early Mortality in Cryptococcosis. Open Forum Infect Dis. 2015 Dec 15;3(1):ofv197. doi: 10.1093/ofid/ofv197. eCollection 2016 Jan. PubMed PMID: 26835475; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4730110.
  4. Spec A, Shindo Y, Burnham CA, Wilson S, Ablordeppey EA, Beiter ER, Chang K, Drewry AM, Hotchkiss RS. T cells from patients with Candida sepsis display a suppressive immunophenotype. Crit Care. 2016 Jan 20;20:15. doi: 10.1186/s13054-016-1182-z. PubMed PMID: 26786705; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4719210.

Bibliography – Andrej Spec