Rodger MacArthur, MD

Professor Augusta University

  • Augusta GA

A widely recognized expert in COVID-19, HIV antiretroviral therapy, resistance to antiretroviral drugs, and sepsis.

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2 min

Function – not fashion. What masks are the best to get behind when facing the risk of Omicron?

Omicron is here and it is spreading like wildfire across America and most of the globe. It’s highly transmissible and easily caught. For more than a year, most Americans have been taking on the simple approach of ‘masking up’ to contain any possible spread. People were using anything from surgical masks, N95s, cloth masks and even gators. Whatever could be used to provide a barrier around one’s nose and mouth. Cloth masks caught on, some even became fashion pieces – but as this most recent wave of COVID has shown, the type of mask is now just as important as the idea of simply covering up and looking good. “Cloth masks and things like that are very comfortable and they have good coverage on the face,” says Rodger D. MacArthur from the Medical College of Georgia. “But they don’t fit so tight and so air and any virus that’s in the air and come through the sides.” MacArthur who brings 20 years experience in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Augusta University says medical surgical masks are best for getting the most protection. "It’s not simply being so close to somebody that you sneeze on them, you splatter them with droplets. It’s in the air we’re breathing.” He just keeps a disposable one folded up in his pocket, but encourages the highest forms of protection you can find. Masks have been a popular and contentious topic during this pandemic and there’s a lot to know about this important topic – and if you are a reporter looking to cover this story – then let our experts help. Dr. Rodger MacArthur is a widely recognized expert in COVID-19, HIV antiretroviral therapy, resistance to antiretroviral drugs, and sepsis. He is available to speak with media – simply click on his icon now to arrange an interview today.

Rodger MacArthur, MD

Biography

Rodger D. MacArthur recently joined the Medical College of Georgia faculty after spending 20 years in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Wayne State University (WSU) in Detroit, Michigan. He is an NIH-funded researcher, formerly heading the WSU AIDS Clinical Trials Group (ACTG) Clinical Research Site. Dr. MacArthur is widely recognized as an expert in HIV antiretroviral therapy, resistance to antiretroviral drugs, and sepsis. His current research interests include antiretroviral resistance; adherence to antiretroviral therapy, especially in underrepresented populations; influenza; and Clostridium difficile colitis. He previously served on several ACTG committees, including the ACTG Underrepresented Populations Committee. Currently, he is the HIV Medicine Association liaison to the IDSA Public Health Committee. His current clinical interests, besides HIV, sepsis, influenza, and Clostridium difficile colitis, are in the area of Global Health. Dr. MacArthur is extensively published, with over 90 publications in peer-reviewed journals. He is an ad hoc reviewer for the NIH and the Ontario HIV Trials Network (OHTN). He is a Fellow in the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) and in the American College of Physicians (ACP). Dr. MacArthur is a recipient of the WSU School of Medicine College Teaching Award (2004). He is a journal reviewer for several journals, including Clinical Infectious Diseases, the Journal of Infectious Diseases, the Lancet, and Antiviral Therapy. He has provided care for over 1000 HIV-infected persons, and will continue to see patients as an infectious diseases consultant here at MCG.

Areas of Expertise

Deep soft tissue infections
HIV
COVID-19 (Coronavirus)
Sepsis
Infectious Global Health

Accomplishments

WSU School of Medicine College Teaching Award

Awarded by Wayne State University in 2004.

Journal Reviewer

Clinical Infectious Diseases, the Journal of Infectious Diseases, the Lancet, and Antiviral Therapy.

HIV Medicine Association liaison

IDSA Public Health Committee

Education

National Science Foundation

Graduate Research Fellowship

Experimental Psychology

University of Illinois College of Medicine

Doctor of Medicine

American Board of Internal Medicine/Rheumatology

Certificate

Affiliations

  • Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA)
  • American College of Physicians (ACP)

Media Appearances

Insect experts: Flooding creates conditions for mosquitoes, ticks to thrive

Augusta Chronicle  print

2024-08-09

Symptoms of climate change which include milder winters and early springs are giving mosquitoes and ticks more time to reproduce, spread diseases, and expand their habitats throughout the United States, experts say.

“Mosquitoes, ticks and in some cases fleas are vectors of disease,” said Benjamin Beard, principal deputy director of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention division of vector borne diseases.

Between 2004 and 2018, the number of reported illnesses from mosquito, tick, and flea bites more than doubled, with more than 760,000 cases reported in the United States, according to experts with the CDC.

The geographic ranges where ticks spread Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis, and spotted fever rickettsiosis have expanded, and experts predict that tick-borne diseases will continue to increase and perhaps worsen.

Rodger MacArthur, professor of medicine in the division of infectious diseases at the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, said there is potential concern for the mosquitoes that transmit the West Nile virus.

“We see a number of West Nile cases in Georgia every year,” said MacArthur. “It's very unpredictable and unfortunately, we just don't have the data yet. Physicians have known about West Nile virus for quite some time. We often check our patients who have compatible symptoms of West Nile virus infection for evidence of infection.”

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Diarrhea and HIV: What You Need to Know

TheBody  online

2024-04-29

Stomach problems are a common health issue with many different potential causes. If you’re living with HIV, for instance, it’s not uncommon to occasionally experience diarrhea. There are many possible causes for diarrhea in people with HIV, and the duration of symptoms can vary.

Among other reasons, diarrhea can be related to acute (early-stage) HIV, medications a person takes to treat HIV, or opportunistic infections that develop if a person is off HIV treatment for a very long period of time.

If a person is not taking effective HIV treatment, the virus begins to destroy immune system cells, including in the intestinal tract (gut). The body responds to this infection with inflammation, and the inflamed gut may produce diarrhea. In fact, “The great surprise to me and others is that diarrhea is not more common in HIV,” says Rodger MacArthur, M.D., a professor of infectious diseases within the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University.

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What WellStar MCG is now doing to reduce high flu cases

WJBF  tv

2024-01-03

The CDC is reporting that both Georgia and South Carolina are two of the states with the highest number of flu cases. That’s a reason why WellStar MCG is cracking down on visitation to help reduce the spread of respiratory illnesses.

If you’re a minor wanting or needing to visit a family member at WellStar MCG, you’ll want to know more about the new Modified Family Presence Policy.
In December, the rising flu cases in both Georgia and South Carolina resulted in hospital stays and deaths for many people who contracted respiratory illnesses.

“We’ve got medication that, if you start early, will shut down the virus from replicating. So, if you’ve got these symptoms– more than just replicating– if you’ve got the flu, get tested, call your doctor and start on some of these medications,” Professor of Medicine at Wellstar MCG Dr. Rodger McArthur said.

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Answers

Should people get the vaccine now in advance of a possible outbreak?
Rodger MacArthur, MD

Only those at risk are recommended for the vaccine, which is available at local health departments.

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What should people look for and what are some of the symptoms of mpox?
Rodger MacArthur, MD

Signs are the sudden appearance of typical lesions, after having close contact (with or without sex) to an at-risk individual. Close contact includes sleeping together without sexual activity, hugging, kissing, etc. Fever, typically high, also is likely to be present.

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Should people be prepared for an outbreak in the United States, and what can they do?
Rodger MacArthur, MD

We have had m-pox in the US, just not any cases of this new strain. We understand better who is at risk (especially young, sexually active men who have sex with men). We quite likely will see the new strain in the US, but I doubt that it will become endemic or epidemic here.

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Articles

The End of the HIV Pandemic: Whatever Happened to 90-90-90 by 2020?

Patient Care

Rodger MacArthur

2022-01-25

The idea was to get 90% of all HIV-infected persons diagnosed, get 90% of them on antiretroviral therapy (ART), and get 90% of those on ART “undetectable.” Doing the math (0.9 x 0.9 x 0.9) would result in getting 73% of all HIV-infected patients undetectable.

So how did countries do? In 2017, Botswana was at 81% of all HIV-infected persons undetectable. The UK was at 87%. And the United States? Only an estimated 55% of all HIV-infected persons were undetectable. Thus, it should not come as a big surprise that the US failed to meet the 90-90-90 goal by the end of 2020.

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