Lynn Ramirez MD, MSc, who joined the Department of Pediatrics, Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Health in November 2014, serves as Medical Director of Hospital Epidemiology and Infection Prevention at the UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital San Francisco.
In this role, she collaborates with nurses, physicians, and ancillary services to prevent hospital acquired infections including those related to invasive medical devices and Clostridium difficile.
Dr. Ramirez provides patient care on the inpatient Pediatric Infectious Diseases Consultation service. She is involved in the care of immunocompromised pediatric patients.
Publications
Strategies Used by Children's Hospitals During the 2022 Viral Respiratory Surge.
Adler AL, Kociolek LK, Glomb N, Ramírez-Àvila L, Kest H, Niescierenko M, West D, Zerr DM. Strategies Used by Children's Hospitals During the 2022 Viral Respiratory Surge. Hosp Pediatr. 2025 Feb 14.
Monitoring health disparities in healthcare-associated infection surveillance: A Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) Research Network (SRN) Survey.
McGrath CL, Logan LK, Deloney VM, Rubin LG, Ravin KA, Muller M, Bartlett AH, de St Maurice A, Linam WM, Caughell C, Ramirez-Avila L, SHEA Pediatric Leadership Council Steering Committee. Monitoring health disparities in healthcare-associated infection surveillance: A Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) Research Network (SRN) Survey. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2024 Apr; 45(4):526-529.
Whole-genome sequencing rule-out of suspected hospital-onset Rhizopus outbreaks.
Chu VT, Nafees S, Waltari E, McNeil N, Caughell C, Sanchez-Guerrero E, Wang L, Stanley K, Cunningham G, Wong J, Phelps M, Tato CM, Miller S, DeRisi JL, Yokoe DS, Ramirez-Avila L, Langelier CR. Whole-genome sequencing rule-out of suspected hospital-onset Rhizopus outbreaks. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2023 Jun 13; 1-3.
Prolonged silent carriage, genomic virulence potential and transmission between staff and patients characterize a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) outbreak of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).
Madera S, McNeil N, Serpa PH, Kamm J, Pak C, Caughell C, Nichols A, Dynerman D, Li LM, Sanchez-Guerrero E, Phelps MS, Detweiler AM, Neff N, Reyes H, Miller SA, Yokoe DS, DeRisi JL, Ramirez-Avila L, Langelier CR. Prolonged silent carriage, genomic virulence potential and transmission between staff and patients characterize a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) outbreak of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2022 Mar 21; 1-7.
Finding a needle in a haystack: The hidden costs of asymptomatic testing in a low incidence setting.
Srinivasan V, Gohil SK, Abeles SR, Yokoe DS, Cohen SH, Ramirez-Avila L, Prabaker KK, de St Maurice AM. Finding a needle in a haystack: The hidden costs of asymptomatic testing in a low incidence setting. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2021 Jun 24; 1-2.
SHEA Pediatric Leadership Council commentary: Personal protective equipment during care of children with multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C).
Muller ML, Logan LK, Kociolek LK, Guzman-Cottrill JA, Bartlett AH, Schaffzin JK, Ravin KA, Rubin LG, Lake J, Caughell C, Ramirez-Avila L, SHEA Pediatric Leadership Council. SHEA Pediatric Leadership Council commentary: Personal protective equipment during care of children with multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C). Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2021 Sep; 42(9):1108-1110.
SHEA Pediatric Leadership Council commentary: Supporting well child care during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic with personal protective equipment in the ambulatory setting.
Schaffzin JK, Bartlett AH, Logan LK, Guzman-Cottrill JA, Caughell C, Ravin KA, Rubin LG, Kociolek LK, Muller ML, Lake J, Ramirez-Avila L, SHEA Pediatric Leadership Council. SHEA Pediatric Leadership Council commentary: Supporting well child care during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic with personal protective equipment in the ambulatory setting. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2021 Aug; 42(8):985-988.
SHEA Pediatric Leadership Council commentary: Inpatient visitor considerations for pediatric patients during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
Bartlett AH, Ravin KA, Rubin LG, McGrath C, de St Maurice A, Linam WM, Logan LK, Muller M, Caughell C, Ramirez-Avila L, SHEA Pediatric Leadership Council. SHEA Pediatric Leadership Council commentary: Inpatient visitor considerations for pediatric patients during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2021 11; 42(11):1369-1371.
SHEA Pediatric Leadership Council commentary: Ambulatory management of neonates born to mothers infected with severe acute respiratory coronavirus virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).
Rubin LG, Kociolek LK, Schaffzin JK, Logan LK, Guzman-Cottrill JA, Lake J, Caughell C, Bartlett AH, Ravin KA, Muller M, Ramirez-Avila L, SHEA Pediatric Leadership Council. SHEA Pediatric Leadership Council commentary: Ambulatory management of neonates born to mothers infected with severe acute respiratory coronavirus virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2021 Sep; 42(9):1105-1107.
Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Children Without Symptoms of Coronavirus Disease 2019.
Sola AM, David AP, Rosbe KW, Baba A, Ramirez-Avila L, Chan DK. Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Children Without Symptoms of Coronavirus Disease 2019. JAMA Pediatr. 2021 02 01; 175(2):198-201.
Sentinel Case of Candida auris in the Western United States Following Prolonged Occult Colonization in a Returned Traveler from India.
Woodworth MH, Dynerman D, Crawford ED, Doernberg SB, Ramirez-Avila L, Serpa PH, Nichols A, Li LM, Lyden A, Tato CM, Miller S, Derisi JL, Langelier C. Sentinel Case of Candida auris in the Western United States Following Prolonged Occult Colonization in a Returned Traveler from India. Microb Drug Resist. 2019 Jun; 25(5):677-680.
Fatal Sepsis Associated with Bacterial Contamination of Platelets - Utah and California, August 2017.
Horth RZ, Jones JM, Kim JJ, Lopansri BK, Ilstrup SJ, Fridey J, Kelley WE, Stramer SL, Nambiar A, Ramirez-Avila L, Nichols A, Garcia W, Oakeson KF, Vlachos N, McAllister G, Hunter R, Nakashima AK, Basavaraju SV. Fatal Sepsis Associated with Bacterial Contamination of Platelets - Utah and California, August 2017. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2018 Jun 29; 67(25):718-722.
Adolescent Linkage to Care After a Large-scale Transfer From a Hospital-based HIV Clinic to the Public Sector in South Africa.
Ramirez-Avila L, Regan S, Cloete C, Crankshaw T, Rabideau DJ, Freedberg KA, Parker RA, Walensky RP, Losina E, Bassett IV. Adolescent Linkage to Care After a Large-scale Transfer From a Hospital-based HIV Clinic to the Public Sector in South Africa. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2017 Mar; 36(3):311-313.
Pediatric Invasive Aspergillosis.
Wattier RL, Ramirez-Avila L. Pediatric Invasive Aspergillosis. J Fungi (Basel). 2016 Jun 13; 2(2).
Journal of Fungi
Wattier RL, Ramirez-Avila L.. Journal of Fungi. Pediatric invasive aspergillosis. 2016; 2(19).
HIV testing rates, prevalence, and knowledge among outpatients in Durban, South Africa: Time trends over four years.
Ramirez-Avila L, Regan S, Chetty S, Giddy J, Ross D, Katz JN, Freedberg KA, Losina E, Walensky RP, Bassett IV. HIV testing rates, prevalence, and knowledge among outpatients in Durban, South Africa: Time trends over four years. Int J STD AIDS. 2015 Sep; 26(10):704-9.
Banning the handshake from the health care setting.
Sklansky M, Nadkarni N, Ramirez-Avila L. Banning the handshake from the health care setting. JAMA. 2014 Jun 25; 311(24):2477-8.
Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy in pediatric patients: case report and literature review.
Schwenk H, Ramirez-Avila L, Sheu SH, Wuthrich C, Waugh J, Was A, Degirolami U, Burchett S, Koralnik IJ, Ahmed A. Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy in pediatric patients: case report and literature review. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2014 Apr; 33(4):e99-105.
Successful rifampin desensitization in a pediatric patient with latent tuberculosis.
Logsdon S, Ramirez-Avila L, Castells M, Dioun A. Successful rifampin desensitization in a pediatric patient with latent tuberculosis. Pediatr Allergy Immunol. 2014 Jun; 25(4):404-5.
Validation and calibration of a computer simulation model of pediatric HIV infection.
Ciaranello AL, Morris BL, Walensky RP, Weinstein MC, Ayaya S, Doherty K, Leroy V, Hou T, Desmonde S, Lu Z, Noubary F, Patel K, Ramirez-Avila L, Losina E, Seage GR, Freedberg KA. Validation and calibration of a computer simulation model of pediatric HIV infection. PLoS One. 2013; 8(12):e83389.
The acceptability and feasibility of routine pediatric HIV testing in an outpatient clinic in Durban, South Africa.
Ramirez-Avila L, Noubary F, Pansegrouw D, Sithole S, Giddy J, Losina E, Walensky RP, Bassett IV. The acceptability and feasibility of routine pediatric HIV testing in an outpatient clinic in Durban, South Africa. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2013 Dec; 32(12):1348-53.
Depressive symptoms and their impact on health-seeking behaviors in newly-diagnosed HIV-infected patients in Durban, South Africa.
Ramirez-Avila L, Regan S, Giddy J, Chetty S, Ross D, Katz JN, Freedberg KA, Walensky RP, Losina E, Bassett IV. Depressive symptoms and their impact on health-seeking behaviors in newly-diagnosed HIV-infected patients in Durban, South Africa. AIDS Behav. 2012 Nov; 16(8):2226-35.
Routine HIV testing in adolescents and young adults presenting to an outpatient clinic in Durban, South Africa.
Ramirez-Avila L, Nixon K, Noubary F, Giddy J, Losina E, Walensky RP, Bassett IV. Routine HIV testing in adolescents and young adults presenting to an outpatient clinic in Durban, South Africa. PLoS One. 2012; 7(9):e45507.
Early infant HIV-1 diagnosis programs in resource-limited settings: opportunities for improved outcomes and more cost-effective interventions.
Ciaranello AL, Park JE, Ramirez-Avila L, Freedberg KA, Walensky RP, Leroy V. Early infant HIV-1 diagnosis programs in resource-limited settings: opportunities for improved outcomes and more cost-effective interventions. BMC Med. 2011 May 20; 9:59.
Eosinophilic meningitis due to Angiostrongylus and Gnathostoma species.
Ramirez-Avila L, Slome S, Schuster FL, Gavali S, Schantz PM, Sejvar J, Glaser CA. Eosinophilic meningitis due to Angiostrongylus and Gnathostoma species. Clin Infect Dis. 2009 Feb 01; 48(3):322-7.
Current world status of Balantidium coli.
Schuster FL, Ramirez-Avila L. Current world status of Balantidium coli. Clin Microbiol Rev. 2008 Oct; 21(4):626-38.