Constance A. Benson, MD
Professor of Medicine
University of California San Diego School of Medicine
Division of Infectious Diseases
San Diego, CA

Research Topics

• Opportunistic infections (Mycobacterium avium complex, CMV)
• Salvage therapy - treatment failure
• Immune reconstitution syndromes
• Acute/primary HIV infection
  
  
  

Lecture and Writing Topics

• Opportunistic infections (MAC, CMV, TB, HCV, PCP)/prophylaxis issues
• Treatment failure - salvage therapy
• Treatment interruptions
• Acute HIV infection
• When to start therapy
  
  
  

Current Professional Summary

Dr Benson is a Professor of Medicine, Department of Infectious Diseases, at the University of California San Diego. Her primary activities include clinical investigation and participation in the AIDS Clinical Trials Group (ACTG). Her research projects focus on opportunistic infections, salvage therapy, and immune reconstitution syndromes. Dr Benson also provides primary HIV care in the Infectious Diseases Group Practice, provides hospital-based and outpatient infectious disease consultation, and teaches medical students, residents, and fellows.

Committees and Organizations

• Fellow, American College of Physicians (1985-)
• Fellow, Infectious Disease Society of America (1989-)
• Member, International AIDS Society (1997-)
• Member, Board of Directors, International AIDS Society–USA (1997-)
• Member, Metabolic Complications Guidelines Panel, International AIDS Society–USA
• Member, Board of Directors, Foundation for Human Retrovirology (1997-)
  
  
  

Honors and Awards

• Outstanding Medical Resident Award, Rush Medical College (1981)
• Constance B. Wofsy Women's Health Investigator Award, NIH/NIAID/AIDS Clinical Trials Group (1996)
  
  
  

Education

• Ohio State University, BS, Cum Laude, Zoology (1970-1975)
• Ohio State University College of Medicine, MD, Cum Laude with Honors (1975-1978)
• Rush Medical College/Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center, Internship/Residency, Categorical Internal Medicine (1978-1981)
• Rush Medical College/Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center, Fellowship in Infectious Diseases (1984-1986)
  
  
  

Selected Publications

1. Benson CA. Treatment of disseminated disease due to the Mycobacterium avium complex in patients with AIDS. Clin Infect Dis. 1994;18:S237-S242.
2. Chaisson RE, Benson CA, Dube MP, Heifets LB, Korvick JA, Elkiun S, Smith T, Craft JC, Sattler FR, and the AIDS Clinical Trials Group Protocol 157 Study Team. Clarithromycin therapy for bacteremic Mycobacterium avium complex disease. A randomized, double-blind, dose-ranging study in patients with AIDS. Ann Intern Med. 1994;121:905-911.
3. Sha BE, Benson CA, Pottage JC Jr, Urbanski PA, Daugherty SR, Kessler HA. HIV infection in women: an observational study of clinical characteristics, disease progression, and survival for a cohort of women in Chicago. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr Hum Retrovirol. 1995;8:486-495.
4. Ellis LC, Benson CA, Koenig GI, Trenholme GM. Postantibiotic effect of clarithromycin alone and combined with ethambutol against Mycobacterium avium complex. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 1995; 39:2803-2806.
5. Sha BE, D'Amico RD, Landay AL, Spear GT, Massad LS, Warner NA, Rydman RJ, Padnick J, Ackatz L, Charles LA, Benson CA. Evaluation of immunologic markers in cervicovaginal fluid of HIV-infected and uninfected women: implications for the immunologic response to HIV in the female genital tract. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr Hum Retrovirol. 1997;16:161-168.
6. Spear GT, Sha BE, Saarloos MN, Benson CA, Rydman R, Massad LS, Gilmore R, Landay A. Chemokines are present in the genital tract of HIV-seropositive and seronegative women; correlation with clinical conditions and other immune mediators. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr Hum Retrovirol. 1998;18:454-459.
7. Benson CA, Williams PL, Cohn DL, Becker S, Hojczyk P, Nevin T, Korvick JA, Heifets L, Child CC, Lederman MM, Reichman RC, Powderly WG, Notario GF, Wynne BA, Hafner R. Clarithromycin or rifabutin alone or in combination for the primary prophylaxis of Mycobacterium avium complex disease in patients with AIDS: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. J Infect Dis. 2000;181:1289-1297.
8. Currier JS, Williams PL, Koletar SL, Benson CA, Valdez H, Aberg JA, and McCutchan A, for the ACTG 362 Study Team (11th author). Discontinuation of Mycobacterium avium complex prophylaxis in patients with antiretroviral therapy-induced increases in CD4+ cell count. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Ann Intern Med. 2000;133:493-503.
9. Johnson SC, Benson CA, Johnson DW, Weinberg A. Recurrences of cytomegalovirus retinitis in a human immunodeficiency virus-infected patient, despite potent antiretroviral therapy and apparent immune reconstitution. Clin Infect Dis. 2001;32:815-819.
10. Murphy RL, Brun S, Hicks C, Eron JJ, Gulick R, King M, White AC Jr, Benson C, et al. ABT-378/ritonavir plus stavudine and lamivudine for the treatment of antiretroviral-naive adults with HIV-1 infection: 48-week results. AIDS. 2001;15:F1-F9.