Department of Pediatrics

Clinical Interests

Dr. Orscheln is the director of ambulatory pediatric infectious diseases and the International Adoption Center at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. Her special clinical interests include adoption medicine, international health, antibiotic stewardship, and treatment of infections in immunocompromised hosts. Her current research interests include treatment of viral infections in normal and immunocompromised hosts.

Education

• BS, Honors Certificate, University of Missouri-Columbia, 1994
• MD, Cum Laude , University of Missouri School of Medicine, 1998

Training

• Resident, St. Louis Children's Hospital, 1998 - 2001
• Fellow, Washington University School of Medicine, 2001 - 2005

Licensure and Board Certification

• 1998Pediatric Advanced Life Support
• 1998Neonatal Advanced Life Support
• 2001American Board of Pediatrics
• 2001 - PresMO, Physician and Surgeon
• 2005Pediatric Infectious Diseases

Honors and Awards

• State of Missouri Bright Flight Scholarship, 1990 - 1994
• University of Missouri Curators' Scholarship, 1990 - 1994
• Honors Certificate for University of Missouri Honors College, Graduated Cum Laude from the University of Missouri- School of Medicine, 1994
• Phi Beta Kappa, 1994
• American Academy of Pediatrics Outstanding Resident Award, 2001
• Best Doctors in St. Louis, 2015 - Pres
• Washington University Unsung Hero Award, 2017
• Lecturer of the Month, 2018
• Missouri Association of School Administrators (MASA) Friend of Education Award, 2022

Recent Publications view all (20)

Publication Co-Authors

Gregory A. Storch, M.D.

Stuart C. Sweet, M.D., Ph.D.

Mary C. Dinauer, M.D., Ph.D.

Jason Newland, M.D., M.Ed.

David A. Hunstad, M.D.

Thomas Ferkol, M.D.

Maleewan Kitcharoensakkul, MD, MSCI

Philip Custer

Alexis M. Elward, M.D., M.P.H.

David B. Wilson, M.D., Ph.D.

David A. Rosen, M.D., Ph.D.

Stephanie A. Fritz, M.D., M.S.C.I.

Nikoleta S. Kolovos, M.D.

Reich, Patrick

Washington University has a long tradition of collaboration amongst colleagues.The faculty above have co-authored publications with Rachel C. Orscheln, M.D.

1. Downes KJ, Statler VA, Orscheln RC, Cousino MK, Green M, Michaels MG, Muller WJ, Sharma TS, Danziger-Isakov LA, Ardura MI. Return to School and COVID-19 Vaccination for Pediatric Solid Organ Transplant Recipients in the United States: Expert Opinion for 2021-2022. J Pediatric Infect Dis Soc. 2022;11(2):43-54. PMCID:PMC8689907  PMID:34734268 
2. Wolf J, Abzug MJ, Anosike BI, Vora SB, Waghmare A, Sue PK, Olivero RM, Oliveira CR, James SH, Morton TH, Maron GM, Young JL, Orscheln RC, Schwenk HT, Bio LL, Willis ZI, Lloyd EC, Hersh AL, Huskins CW, Soma VL, Ratner AJ, Hayes M, Downes K, Chiotos K, Grapentine SP, Wattier RL, Lamb GS, Zachariah P, Nakamura MM. Updated Guidance on Use and Prioritization of Monoclonal Antibody Therapy for Treatment of COVID-19 in Adolescents. J Pediatric Infect Dis Soc. 2022. PMCID:PMC8903349  PMID:35107571 
3. Bigley TM, Song Z, Orscheln RC, Wilson DB, Shakhsheer BA, He M, Sweet SC, Dinauer MC, Kitcharoensakkul M. X-linked Chronic Granulomatous Disease Presenting with Mediastinal Lipoblastoma and Adjacent Pneumonia. J Clin Immunol. 2021. PMID:34462840 
4. Dawson P, Worrell MC, Malone S, Tinker SC, Fritz S, Maricque B, Junaidi S, Purnell G, Lai AM, Neidich JA, Lee JS, Orscheln RC, Charney R, Rebmann T, Mooney J, Yoon N, Petit M, Schmidt S, Grabeel J, Neill LA, Barrios LC, Vallabhaneni S, Williams RW, Goddard C, Newland JG, Neatherlin JC, Salzer JS, CDC COVID-19 Surge Laboratory Group.. Pilot Investigation of SARS-CoV-2 Secondary Transmission in Kindergarten Through Grade 12 Schools Implementing Mitigation Strategies - St. Louis County and City of Springfield, Missouri, December 2020. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2021;70(12):449-455. PMCID:PMC7993558  PMID:33764961 
5. Chiotos K, Hayes M, Kimberlin DW, Jones SB, James SH, Pinninti SG, Yarbrough A, Abzug MJ, MacBrayne CE, Soma VL, Dulek DE, Vora SB, Waghmare A, Wolf J, Olivero R, Grapentine S, Wattier RL, Bio L, Cross SJ, Dillman NO, Downes KJ, Oliveira CR, Timberlake K, Young J, Orscheln RC, Tamma PD, Schwenk HT, Zachariah P, Aldrich ML, Goldman DL, Groves HE, Rajapakse NS, Lamb GS, Tribble AC, Hersh AL, Thorell EA, Denison MR, Ratner AJ, Newland JG, Nakamura MM. Multicenter Interim Guidance on Use of Antivirals for Children With Coronavirus Disease 2019/Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2. J Pediatric Infect Dis Soc. 2021;10(1):34-48. PMCID:PMC7543452  PMID:32918548 
6. Orscheln RC, Newland JG, Rosen DA. Practical School Algorithms for Symptomatic or SARS-CoV-2-Exposed Students Are Essential for Returning Children to In-Person Learning. J Pediatr. 2021;229:275-277. PMCID:PMC7516575  PMID:32980377 
7. Winthrop KL, Brunton AE, Beekmann S, Polgreen P, Baddley J, Saag KG, Calabrese C, Calabrese L, Robinson PC, Wallace ZS, Curtis JR, COVID-19 Study Team.. SARS CoV-2 infection among patients using immunomodulatory therapies. Ann Rheum Dis. 2021;80(2):269-271. PMID:32759259 
8. Wolf J, Abzug MJ, Wattier RL, Sue PK, Vora SB, Zachariah P, Dulek DE, Waghmare A, Olivero R, Downes KJ, James SH, Pinninti SG, Yarbrough A, Aldrich ML, MacBrayne CE, Soma VL, Grapentine SP, Oliveira CR, Hayes M, Kimberlin DW, Jones SB, Bio LL, Morton TH, Hankins JS, Marόn-Alfaro GM, Timberlake K, Young JL, Orscheln RC, Schwenk HT, Goldman DL, Groves HE, Huskins WC, Rajapakse NS, Lamb GS, Tribble AC, Lloyd EE, Hersh AL, Thorell EA, Ratner AJ, Chiotos K, Nakamura MM. Initial Guidance on Use of Monoclonal Antibody Therapy for Treatment of COVID-19 in Children and Adolescents. J Pediatric Infect Dis Soc. 2021. PMCID:PMC7799019  PMID:33388760 
9. Downes KJ, Danziger-Isakov LA, Cousino MK, Green M, Michaels MG, Muller WJ, Orscheln RC, Sharma TS, Statler VA, Wattier RL, Ardura MI. Return to School for Pediatric Solid Organ Transplant Recipients in the United States During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Expert Opinion on Key Considerations and Best Practices. J Pediatric Infect Dis Soc. 2020. PMID:32750142 
10. Chiotos K, Hayes M, Kimberlin DW, Jones SB, James SH, Pinninti SG, Yarbrough A, Abzug MJ, MacBrayne CE, Soma VL, Dulek DE, Vora SB, Waghmare A, Wolf J, Olivero R, Grapentine S, Wattier RL, Bio L, Cross SJ, Dillman NO, Downes KJ, Timberlake K, Young J, Orscheln RC, Tamma PD, Schwenk HT, Zachariah P, Aldrich M, Goldman DL, Groves HE, Lamb GS, Tribble AC, Hersh AL, Thorell EA, Denison MR, Ratner AJ, Newland JG, Nakamura MM. Multicenter initial guidance on use of antivirals for children with COVID-19/SARS-CoV-2. J Pediatric Infect Dis Soc. 2020. PMCID:PMC7188128  PMID:32318706 
11. Mork RL, Hogan PG, Muenks CE, Boyle MG, Thompson RM, Sullivan ML, Morelli JJ, Seigel J, Orscheln RC, Bubeck Wardenburg J, Gehlert SJ, Burnham CD, Rzhetsky A, Fritz SA. Longitudinal, strain-specific Staphylococcus aureus introduction and transmission events in households of children with community-associated meticillin-resistant S aureus skin and soft tissue infection: a prospective cohort study. Lancet Infect Dis. 2020;20(2):188-198. PMCID:PMC6995751  PMID:31784369 
12. Parrish KL, Salwan NK, Thompson RM, Hogan PG, Orscheln RC, Newland JG, Fritz SA. Skin and Soft Tissue Infection Treatment and Prevention Practices by Pediatric Infectious Diseases Providers. J Pediatric Infect Dis Soc. 2019. PMID:31773168 
13. Akbari SHA, Averill CE, Roland JL, Orscheln R, Strahle J. Bartonella henselae infection presenting as cervical spine osteomyelitis: case report. J Neurosurg Pediatr. 2018;22(2):189-194. PMID:29799351 
14. Reich P, Shute T, Lysen C, Lockhart SR, Kelly Keating M, Custer P, Orscheln R. Saksenaea vasiformis Orbital Cellulitis in an Immunocompetent Child Treated With Posaconazole. J Pediatric Infect Dis Soc. 2018. PMID:29522137 
15. Milstone AM, Elward A, Song X, Zerr DM, Orscheln R, Speck K, Obeng D, Reich NG, Coffin SE, Perl TM, Pediatric SCRUB Trial Study Group. Daily chlorhexidine bathing to reduce bacteraemia in critically ill children: a multicentre, cluster-randomised, crossover trial. Lancet. 2013;381(9872):1099-106. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(12)61687-0  PMID:23363666 
16. Orscheln RC, Hunstad DA, Fritz SA, Loughman JA, Mitchell K, Storch EK, Gaudreault M, Sellenriek PL, Armstrong JR, Mardis ER, Storch GA. contribution of genetically restricted, methicillin-susceptible strains to the ongoing epidemic of community-acquired Staphylococcus aureus infections. Clin Infect Dis. 2009;49(4):536-42. doi:10.1086/600881  PMCID:PMC2965061  PMID:19589082 
17. Elizur A, Orscheln RC, Ferkol TW, Dunne WM Jr, Storch GA, Cannon CL. Transmission of Panton-Valentine leukocidin-positive Staphylococcus aureus between patients with cystic fibrosis. J Pediatr. 2007;151(1):90-2. doi:10.1016/j.jpeds.2007.04.016  PMID:17586197 
18. Elizur A, Orscheln RC, Ferkol TW, Atkinson JJ, Dunne WM Jr, Buller RS, Armstrong JR, Mardis ER, Storch GA, Cannon CL. Panton-Valentine Leukocidin-positive methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus lung infection in patients with cystic fibrosis. Chest. 2007;131(6):1718-25. doi:10.1378/chest.06-2756  PMID:17400676 
19. Liao RS, Storch GA, Buller RS, Orscheln RC, Mardis ER, Armstrong JR, Dunne WM Jr. Blinded comparison of repetitive-sequence PCR and multilocus sequence typing for genotyping methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates from a children's hospital in St. Louis, Missouri. J Clin Microbiol. 2006;44(6):2254-7. doi:10.1128/JCM.00690-06  PMCID:PMC1489435  PMID:16757633 
20. Orscheln RC, Johnson DR, Olson SM, Presti RM, Martin JM, Kaplan EL, Storch GA. Intrinsic reduced susceptibility of serotype 6 Streptococcus pyogenes to fluoroquinolone antibiotics. J Infect Dis. 2005;191(8):1272-9. doi:10.1086/428856  PMID:15776373