Heather Machkovech, MD, PhD, fellow, Infectious Disease, and trainee in the University of Wisconsin Department of Medicine’s Physician-Scientist Training Program (PSTP), is the lead author on a recent paper in The Lancet Infectious Diseases that defines persistent SARS-CoV-2 infection and its significance to individual and public health. 

Since the onset of the virus in 2019, persistent SARS-CoV-2 infection has been identified in a subset of individuals, but remains “greatly understudied,” according to Dr. Machkovech and her co-authors. 

The authors—whose affiliations range across disciplines, from surgery to veterinary medicine, and institutions, from UW–Madison to Yale—offer a clearer, broader definition of persistent SARS-CoV-2 infection and a new conceptual framework for classifying persistent infection. They argue that both are necessary to improve our understanding of persistent infection. 

Dr. Machkovech explains why in this one-minute video [Youtube]:

About the PSTP

In addition to being an important contribution to the infectious disease literature, this paper is an excellent example of the interdisciplinary work done by UW Department of Medicine PSTP trainees—who receive substantial mentoring, funding and dedicated research time.

“Ultimately, this is guiding me towards developing an independent research program as a physician-scientist,” notes Dr. Machkovech. 

Read a recent article about the work of several other trainees in the program.

Banner: Dr. Machkovech in her lab. Credit: Clint Thayer/Department of Medicine.