Clarence Buddy Creech, M.D.

Professor

buddy.creech@vanderbilt.edu

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Faculty Appointments
Professor of Pediatrics Edie Carell Johnson Chair in Pediatrics
Education
M.P.H., Public Health, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TennesseeM.D., Medicine, University of Tennessee, Memphis, TennesseeB.S., Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
Office Address
CCC-5311 MCN
1161 21st Avenue South
Nashville, TN 37232
Research Description
Dr. Creech and his colleagues seek to understand the clinical and molecular epidemiology of community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA). The work of the group focuses on describing the changing dynamics of nasal colonization with CA-MRSA and on how these isolates differ from those that cause invasive staphylococcal disease. In addition, the laboratory studies the adaptive response to infection, focusing on the serum antibody response to critical staphylococcal antigens. Work in the Vanderbilt Vaccine Research Program, where Dr. Creech serves as Associate Director, is directed towards clinical trials of vaccines and therapeutics, including monoclonal antibodies targeting S. aureus, influenza vaccine trials, and malaria vaccines.

Clinical investigations in the group are led by Gayle Johnson, RN, Shanda Phillips, RN, Sheana Fox, RN, and others within the Vanderbilt Vaccine Research Program. The laboratory is directed by Ms. Elizabeth Saye, who has extensive experience in microbiology, molecular epidemiology, and human immunology.

Dr. Creech graduated cum laude from Vanderbilt University before attending the University of Tennessee College of Medicine. After graduating with high honors, he joined the pediatric housestaff at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital and was Chief Resident in Pediatrics in 2002. During his pediatric infectious diseases fellowship at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital, Dr. Creech completed the Masters in Public Health degree and became part of the Vanderbilt Clinical Research Scholars (VCRS) Program, a competitive NIH K12 award given to young investigators at VUMC. He joined the faculty in July 2006 as Assistant Professor of Pediatric Infectious Diseases and now serves as Associate Director of the Vaccine Research Program and Co-Director of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Fellowship.

The group can be contacted by email (buddy.creech@vanderbilt.edu) or by phone: 615-322-8792 (VVRP).

Current Projects

Longitudinal Study of CA-MRSA Nasal Colonization in a Cohort of Healthy University Sports Participants

Targeted Molecular Epidemiology of CA-MRSA Isolates

Safety and Efficacy of a Candidate Staphylococcal Vaccine

Safety and Efficacy of a Candidate Monoclonal Antibody Directed at S. aureus

Safety and Immunogenicity of a Candidate Malaria Vaccine

Safety and Immunogenicity of Adjuvanted H5N1 Influenza Vaccine

Humoral Immune Response to Invasive Staphylococcal Infections in Children

Safety and Pharmacokinetics of Ceftaroline in Pediatrics
Research Keywords
Clinical and Translational Research in S. aureus; Human immune response to staphylococcal infections; staphylococcal vaccine development
Publications
Thomsen I, Creech CB. Advances in the diagnosis and management of pediatric osteomyelitis. Curr Infect Dis Rep. 2011 Oct; 13(5): 451-60. PMID: 21789499, DOI: 10.1007/s11908-011-0202-z, ISSN: 1534-3146.

Williams DJ, Deis JN, Tardy J, Creech CB. Culture-negative osteoarticular infections in the era of community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Pediatr. Infect. Dis. J. 2011 Jun; 30(6): 523-5. PMID: 21164383, DOI: 10.1097/INF.0b013e318207a7a5, ISSN: 1532-0987.

Thomsen I, McKenna BD, Saye EJ, Jimenez N, Edwards KM, Creech CB. Molecular distinctions exist between community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus colonization and disease-associated isolates in children. Pediatr. Infect. Dis. J. 2011 May; 30(5): 418-21. PMID: 21263373, PMCID: PMC3077447, DOI: 10.1097/INF.0b013e31820d7fd5, ISSN: 1532-0987.

Thomsen I, Dudney H, Creech CB. Searching for the holy grail of a staphylococcal vaccine. Hum Vaccin [print-electronic]. 2010 Dec; 6(12): 1068-70. PMID: 21150276, PII: 12917, ISSN: 1554-8619.

Creech CB, Saye E, McKenna BD, Johnson BG, Jimenez N, Talbot TR, Bossung T, Gregory A, Edwards KM. One-year surveillance of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus nasal colonization and skin and soft tissue infections in collegiate athletes. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2010 Jul; 164(7): 615-20. PMID: 20603460, PMCID: PMC3778501, PII: 164/7/615, DOI: 10.1001/archpediatrics.2010.93, ISSN: 1538-3628.

Dulek DE, Williams JV, Creech CB, Schulert AK, Frangoul HA, Domm J, Denison MR, Chappell JD. Use of intravenous zanamivir after development of oseltamivir resistance in a critically Ill immunosuppressed child infected with 2009 pandemic influenza A (H1N1) virus. Clin. Infect. Dis. 2010 Jun 6/1/2010; 50(11): 1493-6. PMID: 20415572, DOI: 10.1086/652655, ISSN: 1537-6591.

House DL, Chon CH, Creech CB, Skaar EP, Li D. Miniature on-chip detection of unpurified methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) DNA using real-time PCR. J. Biotechnol [print-electronic]. 2010 Apr 4/1/2010; 146(3): 93-9. PMID: 20149828, PII: S0168-1656(09)00587-2, DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiotec.2009.12.013, ISSN: 1873-4863.

Jimenez-Truque N, Thomsen I, Saye E, Creech CB. Should higher vancomycin trough levels be targeted for invasive community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections in children?. Pediatr. Infect. Dis. J. 2010 Apr; 29(4): 368-70. PMID: 19935448, PMCID: PMC3848324, DOI: 10.1097/INF.0b013e3181c52a04, ISSN: 1532-0987.

Creech CB, Litzner B, Talbot TR, Schaffner W. Frequency of detection of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus from rectovaginal swabs in pregnant women. Am J Infect Control [print-electronic]. 2010 Feb; 38(1): 72-4. PMID: 19836855, PII: S0196-6553(09)00756-1, DOI: 10.1016/j.ajic.2009.06.015, ISSN: 1527-3296.

Aston JL, Dortch MJ, Dossett LA, Creech CB, May AK. Risk factors for treatment failure in patients receiving vancomycin for hospital-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus pneumonia. Surg Infect (Larchmt). 2010 Feb; 11(1): 21-8. PMID: 19689198, DOI: 10.1089/sur.2008.100, ISSN: 1557-8674.

Deis JN, Creech CB, Estrada CM, Abramo TJ. Procalcitonin as a marker of severe bacterial infection in children in the emergency department. Pediatr Emerg Care. 2010 Jan; 26(1): 51-60; quiz 61. PMID: 20065834, PII: 00006565-201001000-00014, DOI: 10.1097/PEC.0b013e3181c399df, ISSN: 1535-1815.

Creech CB, Johnson BG, Alsentzer AR, Hohenboken M, Edwards KM, Talbot TR. Vaccination as infection control: a pilot study to determine the impact of Staphylococcus aureus vaccination on nasal carriage. Vaccine [print-electronic]. 2009 Dec 12/10/2009; 28(1): 256-60. PMID: 19799842, PII: S0264-410X(09)01435-2, DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2009.09.088, ISSN: 1873-2518.

Krause JC, Ghandil P, Chrabieh M, Casanova JL, Picard C, Puel A, Creech CB. Very late-onset group B Streptococcus meningitis, sepsis, and systemic shigellosis due to interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase-4 deficiency. Clin. Infect. Dis. 2009 Nov 11/1/2009; 49(9): 1393-6. PMID: 19814626, DOI: 10.1086/630206, ISSN: 1537-6591.

Becker SS, Russell PT, Duncavage JA, Creech CB. Current issues in the management of sinonasal methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Curr Opin Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2009 Feb; 17(1): 2-5. PMID: 19225299, PII: 00020840-200902000-00003, DOI: 10.1097/MOO.0b013e32831b9c97, ISSN: 1531-6998.

Chappell T, Creech CB, Parra D, Strauss A, Scholl F, Whitney G. Presentation of pulmonary artery intimal sarcoma in an infant with a history of neonatal valvular pulmonic stenosis. Ann. Thorac. Surg. 2008 Mar; 85(3): 1092-4. PMID: 18291210, PII: S0003-4975(07)01869-3, DOI: 10.1016/j.athoracsur.2007.08.072, ISSN: 1552-6259.

Creech CB, Beekmann SE, Chen Y, Polgreen PM. Variability among pediatric infectious diseases specialists in the treatment and prevention of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus skin and soft tissue infections. Pediatr. Infect. Dis. J. 2008 Mar; 27(3): 270-2. PMID: 18277924, DOI: 10.1097/INF.0b013e31815c9068, ISSN: 0891-3668.

Creech CB, Johnson BG, Bartilson RE, Yang E, Barr FE. Increasing use of extracorporeal life support in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus sepsis in children. Pediatr Crit Care Med. 2007 May; 8(3): 231-5; quiz 247. PMID: 17417114, DOI: 10.1097/01.PCC.0000262801.81331.C7, ISSN: 1529-7535.

Piggott CD, Hayes B, Robb CW, Thomas L, Creech CB, Smith ML. Chemical burn induced by cutaneous exposure to a concentrated sodium hypochlorite and alkyl sulfate solution. Cutan Ocul Toxicol. 2007; 26(3): 189-94. PMID: 17687684, PII: 781180007, DOI: 10.1080/15569520701502799, ISSN: 1556-9527.

Pitchford CW, Creech CB, Peters TR, Vnencak-Jones CL. Bartonella henselae endocarditis in a child. Pediatr Cardiol [print-electronic]. 2006 Nov; 27(6): 769-71. PMID: 17111290, DOI: 10.1007/s00246-006-1383-3, ISSN: 0172-0643.

Jones TF, Creech CB, Erwin P, Baird SG, Woron AM, Schaffner W. Family outbreaks of invasive community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection. Clin. Infect. Dis [print-electronic]. 2006 May 5/1/2006; 42(9): e76-8. PMID: 16586378, PII: CID38813, DOI: 10.1086/503265, ISSN: 1537-6591.

Creech CB, Talbot TR, Schaffner W. Community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus: the way to the wound is through the nose [editorial]. J. Infect. Dis [print-electronic]. 2006 Jan 1/15/2006; 193(2): 169-71. PMID: 16362879, PII: JID36081, DOI: 10.1086/500432, ISSN: 0022-1899.

Creech CB, Kernodle DS, Alsentzer A, Wilson C, Edwards KM. Increasing rates of nasal carriage of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in healthy children. Pediatr. Infect. Dis. J. 2005 Jul; 24(7): 617-21. PMID: 15999003, PII: 00006454-200507000-00009, ISSN: 0891-3668.

Available Postdoctoral Position Details
Posted: 8/25/2011
None available at this time.