Bernard Hirschel, MD
Full Professor of Medicine
Geneva University Medical School
Head, Section of HIV/AIDS
Division of Infectious Diseases
Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève
Head, Clinical Research Center
Faculty of Medicine and University Hospitals
Geneva, Switzerland

 

Research Topics

• Antiretroviral treatment
• Epidemiology of HIV infection
• The effect of treatment on prevention of new HIV infections

 

Lecture and Writing Topics

• Antiretroviral treatment
• Treatment as prevention
• HIV treatment and transmission
• Present and future antiretroviral therapy
• Aging and HIV
• Risk and research
• Opportunistic diseases

 

Current Professional Summary

Dr Hirschel is the Chief of the HIV/AIDS Division and of the Clinical Research Center at the Geneva University Hospital in Geneva, Switzerland. He has contributed to seminal studies establishing the effectiveness of prevention of opportunistic infections, and discovered a novel pathogenic microorganism, Mycobacterium genavense. With the advent of effective medications, his focus shifted from opportunistic infections to antiretroviral therapy. His particular interests involve novel treatment strategies, particularly planned interruption of antiretroviral therapy, and the use of treatment in preventing new HIV infections

Dr Hirschel is the author or co-author of some 300 papers in the scientific literature, book chapters, and textbook on HIV infection. He is a member of several editorial boards, including the New England Journal of Medicine from 1998 to 2006, and is a member of numerous scientific societies.

 

Committees and Organizations

• Member, Swiss Society for Internal Medicine
• Member, American Society of Microbiology
• Member, Infectious Diseases Society of America
• Member, International AIDS Society
• Member, Swiss Commission for AIDS Research
• Member, Scientific Council of the French National Agency for AIDS Research (ANRS)
• Member, Editorial Board of the New England Journal of Medicine (1998-2006)
• Secretary, Swiss Society of Infectious Diseases (1999-2001)
• Consultant, Government of the Canton Geneva

 

Education

• Geneva Medical School
• Washington University and Barnes Hospital, Infectious Diseases Fellowship

 

Selected Publications

1. Ananworanich J, Gayet-Ageron A, Le Braz M, et al. CD4-guided scheduled treatment interruptions compared with continuous therapy for patients infected with HIV-1: results of the Staccato randomised trial. Lancet. 2006;368:459-465.
2. Kinloch-De Loës S, Hirschel BJ, Hoen B, et al. A controlled trial of zidovudine in primary human immunodeficiency virus infection. N Engl J Med. 1995;333:408-413. Erratum in: N Engl J Med 1995;333:1367
3. Böttger EC, Teske A, Kirschner P, et al. Disseminated "Mycobacterium genavense" infection in patients with AIDS. Lancet. 1992;340:76-80.
4. Hirschel B, Lazzarin A, Chopard P, et al. A controlled study of inhaled pentamidine for primary prevention of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia. N Engl J Med. 1991;324:1079-1083.
5. Hirschel B, Chang HR, Mach N, et al. Fatal infection with a novel, unidentified mycobacterium in a man with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. N Engl J Med. 1990;323:109-113.