Locations
Petersen Clinics
Tucson, AZ
My office hours
Thursday: Closed
Show morePhone
Practice website
Insurances accepted
UnitedHealthcare
Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS)
Blue Cross Blue Shield Of Arizona
Humana Insurance Company
Tricare
Aetna Life Insurance Company
Carefirst Inc
Health Net of Arizona
About
Bio
Dr. John Leander Po is originally from Toronto, Ontario Canada. After completing his BSc and MSc from McGill University in Montreal, he received both M.D. and Ph.D degrees at Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia,
He finished Internship and residency in internal medicine at Boston University Medical Center and continued on with the subspecialty of infectious diseases (ID) in the same institution, with additional training in transplant ID at the Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. Po was mentored by Dr. Philip C. Carling, who conducted seminal work on antimicrobial stewardship and the role of the environment in healthcare acquired infections.
Dr. Po moved to Phoenix, AZ in 2008 serving as an community ID consultant and an assistant professor at the University of Arizona College of Medicine before moving to his current position as a clinical associate professor of medicine and the ID Fellowship Program Director at the University of Arizona College of Medicine - Tucson.
SpecialtiesDoctors may have more than one area of specialty interest. Board certification in a specialty area means the doctor has completed formal training and has practice experience in that specialty, and has passed the certification examination from the corresponding accredited medical specialty board.
Doctors may have more than one area of specialty interest. Board certification in a specialty area means the doctor has completed formal training and has practice experience in that specialty, and has passed the certification examination from the corresponding accredited medical specialty board.
Infectious Disease
Licenses
United States: Arizona
Doctor Q&A
919 Answers
747 Agrees
The number of answers this doctor has agreed with.
A 33-year-old member asked:
Dr. John Leander Poanswered
Infectious Disease 20 years experience
Yes, but don't stop!: The goal of therapy is to get the virus to an undetectable state while getting the CD4 +t cells as high as possible. Several different combination th... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 44-year-old member asked:
Dr. John Leander Poanswered
Infectious Disease 20 years experience
No: In fact, most people who get wnv infections don't die. Must people who do are the very young, the elderly, the immunocompromised, or someone with a g... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.1k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 25-year-old member asked:
Dr. John Leander Poanswered
Infectious Disease 20 years experience
Baltimore Class IV: West nile virus has a (+) sense RNA genome that resembles cellular mrna, but without a poly-a tail. This virus uses the cell's machinery, creating ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.1k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 18-year-old member asked:
Dr. John Leander Poanswered
Infectious Disease 20 years experience
Scrofula: When mycobacterium tuberculosis drains through the lymph fluid to the regional lymph nodes near the neck and collar bone, a reaction can occur where ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A member asked:
Dr. John Leander Poanswered
Infectious Disease 20 years experience
Depends who it is...: Depending on the reasons for getting pneumocystis and if your regular doctor is qualified (eg. Certified by the aahivm or belongs to hivma), he/she ca... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A member asked:
Dr. John Leander Poanswered
Infectious Disease 20 years experience
Fraudulent link: Several studies have disproven the link, which was originally published in 1998 by dr. Andrew wakefield. An investigation by the british medical journ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A member asked:
Dr. John Leander Poanswered
Infectious Disease 20 years experience
Useless vs. viruses: A majority of colds are caused by viruses (e.g.Rhinovirus). Since antibiotics (abx) only treat bacterial infections, they are useless against primary... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 31-year-old member asked:
Dr. John Leander Poanswered
Infectious Disease 20 years experience
When appropriate-: When one has an active infection or as a peri operative "bundle" to avoid a hospital acquired infection, yes. However, using abx ointment daily, with... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 28-year-old member asked:
Dr. John Leander Poanswered
Infectious Disease 20 years experience
Depends on type!: If referring to hsv1 or hsv2 or even varicella zoster virus (hhv3) will cause a rash. All three can cause either or both pain and itching. Fever, mal... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6k viewsReviewed >2 years agoMerged
A 26-year-old member asked:
Dr. John Leander Poanswered
Infectious Disease 20 years experience
Several factors: Several factors can cause a yeast infections-
1. Local balance of normal flora is disrupted, typically from the recent use of antibiotics; 2. Impaire... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.1k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 31-year-old member asked:
Dr. John Leander Poanswered
Infectious Disease 20 years experience
Confirm and treat: Visit your doctor or get a infectious diseases referral. Ascaris is uncommon in the United States, but can occur in people traveling from an endemic r... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.1k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 52-year-old member asked:
Dr. John Leander Poanswered
Infectious Disease 20 years experience
Ain't MacDonald's...: Though luckily the infection is self-limiting in people with intact immune systems, it may take weeks if not a month or two before it goes away. Thin... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.4k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 21-year-old member asked:
Dr. John Leander Poanswered
Infectious Disease 20 years experience
Process: C. Difficile is not normally found in gut flora. Therefore, a c diff infection involves 2 main steps- first, the spore of c diff are ingested (points... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 28-year-old member asked:
Dr. John Leander Poanswered
Infectious Disease 20 years experience
Right now!: Assuming you are pregnant and haven't been tested yet.
If anything, couples attempting to have a child should consider testing prior to such an at... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A member asked:
Dr. John Leander Poanswered
Infectious Disease 20 years experience
Definitively? Test: The most definitive way is to have an allergist specialist test for it. The reason is for this recommendation is that certain infections can cause ra... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 21-year-old member asked:
Dr. John Leander Poanswered
Infectious Disease 20 years experience
Yes but....: You need to clarify what ic means....
"infection control"-yes- contact vs. Airborne vs. Droplet...
"inflammatory colitis" -yes- ulcerative colitis, c... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 21-year-old member asked:
Dr. John Leander Poanswered
Infectious Disease 20 years experience
Many reasons: 1) Several diseases we know now, are caused by non-bacterial microbes, therefore antibiotic (abx) are ineffective, 2) Using a lot of abx have led to ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
3.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 28-year-old male asked:
Dr. John Leander Poanswered
Infectious Disease 20 years experience
Clinical part needed: The diagnosis of candidiasis is not made without the clinical context- therefore, you can't diagnose it by colonoscopy. However, if Candida is growing... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
3.5k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 31-year-old member asked:
Dr. John Leander Poanswered
Infectious Disease 20 years experience
MRSA Bacteria: Viruses don't respond to antibiotics. Mrsa is a bacteria that can be treated with specific antibiotics. Depending on several factors including humid... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A member asked:
Dr. John Leander Poanswered
Infectious Disease 20 years experience
Be specific...: At the injection site? On your back? On your buttocks? With pustules or an abscess? Knowing the "specifics" an infection using an injected substance, ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 27-year-old male asked:
Dr. John Leander Poanswered
Infectious Disease 20 years experience
It depends: Though chloroquine-resistant malaria is found in africa, prophylaxis with Mefloquine can be used. However, this drug may not be right for everyone. T... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.1k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 18-year-old female asked:
Dr. John Leander Poanswered
Infectious Disease 20 years experience
Other possibilities: Depending on your age, sexual history, type to tests done, and other factors, considerations include Arcanobacterium hemolyticum, as well as gonorrhea... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
3.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 21-year-old female asked:
Dr. John Leander Poanswered
Infectious Disease 20 years experience
Have it re-evaluated: 3 weeks is a long time to continue to have a stye after appropriate warm compressions. Have it re-evaluated in person by a healthcare professional. In... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
3.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 25-year-old female asked:
Dr. John Leander Poanswered
Infectious Disease 20 years experience
Viral infection: Congestion, fatigue, runny nose- these are symptoms consistent with a viral upper respiratory tract infection. The left ear pain may be due to pressur... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
3.1k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 24-year-old female asked:
Dr. John Leander Poanswered
Infectious Disease 20 years experience
Cause not addressed: It really doesn't matter when you take Alprim (trimethoprim) It's more important to address the underlying cause. Otherwise, it will recur. A urologic... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
3.6k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 29-year-old female asked:
Dr. John Leander Poanswered
Infectious Disease 20 years experience
Time changes things: Your anatomy does change with time- that's what aging does to you (even after 2 years). Therefore, you may need to undergo tje same process. However, ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 30-year-old male asked:
Dr. John Leander Poanswered
Infectious Disease 20 years experience
Trust the test: You can trust the negative hiv test unless you 1) are continuing to practice high risk sex, or 2) the last test occured before the last sexual encount... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
3.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 21-year-old member asked:
Dr. John Leander Poanswered
Infectious Disease 20 years experience
Depends on "simple": A lumbar puncture to obtain cerebropsinal fluid (CSF) for analysis is the saimplest way to determine if a person has a viral or bacterial meningitis.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.9k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 24-year-old female asked:
Dr. John Leander Poanswered
Infectious Disease 20 years experience
Potentially yes...: Depending on the thoroughness of cleaning, the weakness of the soap used, the amount of microbes in the water, and your level of immunity, there are t... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 27-year-old female asked:
Dr. John Leander Poanswered
Infectious Disease 20 years experience
On Anticoagulation?: If you are taking a blood thinning agent like warfarin, the antibiotic may be decreasing your ability to clot; talk to your doctor or allied health p... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 35-year-old member asked:
Dr. John Leander Poanswered
Infectious Disease 20 years experience
Depends for what...: Uti-within 24 hrs. Skin/ soft tissue- a couple of days. Ear infection- a few days.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.6k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 25-year-old female asked:
Dr. John Leander Poanswered
Infectious Disease 20 years experience
Pyuria: Urine is typically acidic, so don't be alarmed by that result. The 15-20 white blood cells in a urinalysis demonstrates a pyuria - this may be a uti, ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.5k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 24-year-old female asked:
Dr. John Leander Poanswered
Infectious Disease 20 years experience
Not there yet: Good question- the short answer is no. Major hurdles are still being worked out such as how to deliver or alter a gene so it doesn't harm the patient... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 17-year-old male asked:
Dr. John Leander Poanswered
Infectious Disease 20 years experience
Most definitiely: If you have been vomiting a lot, your body gets stressed. This "stress response" is suggested when your neutrophils spike up at the expense of your ly... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.5k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 29-year-old female asked:
Dr. John Leander Poanswered
Infectious Disease 20 years experience
See your pedi doc!: Diarrhea for 3 days and vomiting for 4 days? Better go to you doctor and have your child assessed immediately - if anything he/she maybe quite trauma... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 30-year-old female asked:
Dr. John Leander Poanswered
Infectious Disease 20 years experience
Cytomegalovirus-CMV: Your child likely had symptoms of a viral infection - malaise, weakness, fever, achiness...The result means that, in an early immune response, antibod... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.6k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A female asked:
Dr. John Leander Poanswered
Infectious Disease 20 years experience
Yes, and others...: Depending on certain situations you may have discussed with your doctor, Amoxicillin can be used, other healthcare professionals, depending on the sit... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.5k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 22-year-old female asked:
Dr. John Leander Poanswered
Infectious Disease 20 years experience
Don't guess ...: The best answer is to take a pregnancy test you can buy at your local pharmacy. As a precaution you might as well stop smoking right now- it's bad no... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 31-year-old female asked:
Dr. John Leander Poanswered
Infectious Disease 20 years experience
Clinical dx: The DX of a pneumonia (pna) is based on clinical findings, confirmed by several lab findings which may also include a culture of sputum. In the commun... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 40-year-old member asked:
Dr. John Leander Poanswered
Infectious Disease 20 years experience
Several- check PI: Side effects of Levofloxacin includes: potential for contracting c difficile associated diarrhea, achilles tendon rupture, and potentially, a prolonge... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 41-year-old member asked:
Dr. John Leander Poanswered
Infectious Disease 20 years experience
Be proactive!!!!: Being proactive goes a long way to prevent your condition from becoming worse. Strategies include: 1. Maintaining a schedule/ structure to your day 2.... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.7k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 31-year-old member asked:
Dr. John Leander Poanswered
Infectious Disease 20 years experience
Not just Lyme: Avoid being "lyme-centric"! depending on geography, there are several other tick borne diseases ( e.g. Anaplasmosis, babesia, human monocytic or granu... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.1k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 57-year-old female asked:
Dr. John Leander Poanswered
Infectious Disease 20 years experience
More info needed: Good question. A needle aspirate seems rather difficult to get a good sample for micro. Hopefully, less invasive ways were considered, such as empiric... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 29-year-old member asked:
Dr. John Leander Poanswered
Infectious Disease 20 years experience
Depends ondefinition: Agree that it is not typical for viral symptoms such as fever, muscle aches and pains, sweats, and malaise to last that long. However, post viral synd... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.6k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 40-year-old female asked:
Dr. John Leander Poanswered
Infectious Disease 20 years experience
Rinse better: Unless there are ugly rotten teeth remaining, you don't necessarily need antibiotics. Certainly, i agree with my colleague about fixing the denture as... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 31-year-old member asked:
Dr. John Leander Poanswered
Infectious Disease 20 years experience
Source Control: Recommend 1. An id consult to help determine if you are exposed to an MRSA source that has yet to be controlled. 2. You may need to adjust certain h... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 38-year-old member asked:
Dr. John Leander Poanswered
Infectious Disease 20 years experience
Clinical judgement: Depending on a number of factors, in an area where lots of people are catching the flu, the sensitivity rapid flu testing can drop below 50%. Therefor... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 28-year-old member asked:
Dr. John Leander Poanswered
Infectious Disease 20 years experience
It likely caused it.: Levofloxacin in a broad spectrum antibiotic that not only kills bad bacteria, but also the good ones that maintain an environment that is hostile to y... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 18-year-old member asked:
Dr. John Leander Poanswered
Infectious Disease 20 years experience
See your doc: Besides the obvious- reduce your stress, make sure you visit your priamry care doctor, to determine if it's more than just a stress ulcer-sometimes, i... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 48-year-old member asked:
Dr. John Leander Poanswered
Infectious Disease 20 years experience
Usually nothing but-: Part i - what it is: the bk virus is a member of the polyomavirus family. It rarely causes disease since many who are infected are asymptomatic. Trave... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
TestimonialsRecommendations and Thank you notes are endorsements given from patients or other doctors.
Recommendations and Thank you notes are endorsements given from patients or other doctors.
30
Recommendations
1.2K
Thank you notes
Nov 5, 2014
I have reviewed many of Dr. Po's answers and consultations. He is extremely knowledgeable about Infectious Diseases and general medicine. His consultations typically involve very complicated issues an...Read More
Sep 19, 2014
Dr. Po is not only highly knowledgeable in Infectious Diseases and Internal Medicine, but his answers are always accurate, stated succinctly and understandably, and he has empathy and obviously cares ...Read More
Jul 20, 2014
I fully recommend Dr. John Leander Po to anyone needing his help as he seems to care deeply about his field of Infectious Disease. Great Physician and Colleague and asset to the community at HealthTap...Read More
HealthTap member
I like your answer. My doctor told me I was crazy because I decided to break a relationship after finding my partner was HSV-1 positive. I am 49 years old and she was 30. I have no HSV infections or S...Read More
HealthTap member
This was very helpful. Thanks! I have shingles along my ulner nerve area of my left arm. Third time having them and I can't understand why.its just Comforting 2 read about it. Thank you
HealthTap member
This was very helpful. Thanks! Thank you! Very helpful to know it's not necessarily a sinus infection ( i have a standardized exam in a few days), I will get some decongestants :)
Education & Training
Medical/Graduate school
Drexel University College of Medicine, PA
Graduated 2003MD
Medical/Graduate school
Drexel University College of Medicine, PA
Graduated 2001MD
Residency
BOSTON MEDICAL CENTER CORPORATION
Completed 2006
Residency
Boston University Medical Center
Completed 2006
Awards
2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 HealthGrades⢠Patient Choice Award
2011, 2012, 2013 HealthGrades⢠Patient Compassion Award
Most Influential, First Place, Phoenix, AZ - Winter
2013
Affiliations
Past President, Arizona Infectious Diseases Society (ARIDS)
Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA)
Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA)
Publications
Dangerous cows: An analysis of disinfection cleaning of computer keyboards on wheels
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