Pediatric Research

Richard Buller, Ph.D. D(ABMM) Buller@kids.wustl.edu

Associate Professor, Infectious Diseases

Researcher, Infectious Diseases

Infectious Diseases

phone: (314) 454-6050

Education

BS, Michigan Technological University, 1972
MS, Michigan Technological University, 1974
PhD, University of Montana, 1983

Training

Visiting Assistant Professor, University of Montana, 1982 - 1983
Visiting Instructor, Western Montana College, 1982 - 1983
Staff Fellow, NIH, NIAID Rocky Mountain Laboratories, 1984 - 1989
Postdoctoral Fellow, Washington University School of Medicine, 1989 - 1991

Licensure and Board Certification

1981 - PresAmerican Academy of Microbiology - Registered Microbiologist
1984 - PresAmerican Academy of Microbiology - Specialist, Public Health and Medical Laboratory Microbiology
1993 - PresAmerican Board of Medical Microbiology (ABMM) - Diplomat: Clinical and Public Health Virology

Selected Publications view all (54)

Publication Co-Authors

Gregory A. Storch, M.D.

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

S. Paul Hmiel, M.D., Ph.D.

Kristine Wylie, Ph.D.

Thomas Bailey

Thomas Ferkol, M.D.

Mario Castro

Rachel C. Orscheln, M.D.

Anthony W. Orvedahl, M.D., Ph.D.

Avraham Beigelman, M.D.

Todd N. Wylie

Leonard B. Bacharier, M.D.

1.	Crotty MP, Meyers S, Hampton N, Bledsoe S, Ritchie DJ, Buller RS, Storch GA, Micek ST, Kollef MH. Epidemiology, Co-Infections, and Outcomes of Viral Pneumonia in Adults: An Observational Cohort Study. Medicine (Baltimore). 2015;94(50):e2332. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000002332 PMID:26683973
2.	Crotty MP, Meyers S, Hampton N, Bledsoe S, Ritchie DJ, Buller RS, Storch GA, Kollef MH, Micek ST. Impact of antibacterials on subsequent resistance and clinical outcomes in adult patients with viral pneumonia: an opportunity for stewardship. Crit Care. 2015;19:404. doi:10.1186/s13054-015-1120-5 PMCID:PMC4650137 PMID:26577540
3.	Beigelman A, Bacharier LB, Baty J, Buller R, Mason S, Schechtman KB, Sajol G, Isaacson-Schmid M, Castro M, Storch GA. Does azithromycin modify viral load during severe respiratory syncytial virus bronchiolitis? J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2015. doi:10.1016/j.jaci.2015.06.011 PMID:26215052
4.	Wylie TN, Wylie KM, Buller RS, Cannella M, Storch GA. Development and Evaluation of an Enterovirus D68 Real-Time Reverse Transcriptase PCR Assay. J Clin Microbiol. 2015. doi:10.1128/JCM.00923-15 PMID:26063859
5.	Wylie KM, Wylie TN, Orvedahl A, Buller RS, Herter BN, Magrini V, Wilson RK, Storch GA. Genome sequence of enterovirus D68 from St. Louis, Missouri, USA. Emerg Infect Dis. 2015;21(1):184-6. doi:10.3201/eid2101.141605 PMCID:PMC4285240 PMID:25532062
6.	Rychert J, Danziger-Isakov L, Yen-Lieberman B, Storch G, Buller R, Sweet SC, Mehta AK, Cheeseman JA, Heeger P, Rosenberg ES, Fishman JA. Multicenter comparison of laboratory performance in cytomegalovirus and Epstein-Barr virus viral load testing using international standards. Clin Transplant. 2014;28(12):1416-23. doi:10.1111/ctr.12473 PMCID:PMC4481866 PMID:25303316
7.	Buller RS. Molecular detection of respiratory viruses. Clin Lab Med. 2013;33(3):439-60. doi:10.1016/j.cll.2013.03.007 PMID:23931834
8.	Colvin JM, Muenzer JT, Jaffe DM, Smason A, Deych E, Shannon WD, Arens MQ, Buller RS, Lee WM, Weinstock EJ, Weinstock GM, Storch GA. Detection of viruses in young children with fever without an apparent source. Pediatrics. 2012;130(6):e1455-62. doi:10.1542/peds.2012-1391 PMCID:PMC3507256 PMID:23129086
9.	Yamada M, Buller R, Bledsoe S, Storch GA. Rising rates of macrolide-resistant Mycoplasma pneumoniae in the central United States. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2012;31(4):409-0. doi:10.1097/INF.0b013e318247f3e0 PMID:22209916
10.	Arens MQ, Buller RS, Rankin A, Mason S, Whetsell A, Agapov E, Lee WM, Storch GA. Comparison of the Eragen Multi-Code Respiratory Virus Panel with conventional viral testing and real-time multiplex PCR assays for detection of respiratory viruses. J Clin Microbiol. 2010;48(7):2387-95. doi:10.1128/JCM.00220-10 PMCID:PMC2897522 PMID:20484608

1.	Juretschko S, Mahony J, Buller RS, Manji R, Dunbar S, Walker K, Rao A. Multicenter Clinical Evaluation of the Luminex Aries Flu A/B & RSV Assay for Pediatric and Adult Respiratory Tract Specimens. J Clin Microbiol. 2017;55(8):2431-2438. PMCID:PMC5527421 PMID:28539342
2.	Parrish A, Fenchel M, Storch GA, Buller R, Mason S, Williams N, Ikle D, Conrad C, Faro A, Goldfarb S, Hayes D Jr, Melicoff-Portillo E, Schecter M, Visner G, Sweet S, Danziger-Isakov L, Clinical Trials in Organ Transplantation in Children (CTOTC-03).. Epstein-Barr viral loads do not predict post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder in pediatric lung transplant recipients: A multicenter prospective cohort study. Pediatr Transplant. 2017. PMID:28639398
3.	Rashidi A, Vij KR, Buller RS, Wylie KM, Storch GA, DiPersio JF. Tissue polymerase chain reaction for the diagnosis of cytomegalovirus disease after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation. Am J Hematol. 2017;92(2):E19-E20. PMID:27859620
4.	Crotty MP, Meyers S, Hampton N, Bledsoe S, Ritchie DJ, Buller RS, Storch GA, Micek ST, Kollef MH. Epidemiology, Co-Infections, and Outcomes of Viral Pneumonia in Adults: An Observational Cohort Study. Medicine (Baltimore). 2015;94(50):e2332. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000002332 PMID:26683973
5.	Crotty MP, Meyers S, Hampton N, Bledsoe S, Ritchie DJ, Buller RS, Storch GA, Kollef MH, Micek ST. Impact of antibacterials on subsequent resistance and clinical outcomes in adult patients with viral pneumonia: an opportunity for stewardship. Crit Care. 2015;19:404. doi:10.1186/s13054-015-1120-5 PMCID:PMC4650137 PMID:26577540
6.	Beigelman A, Bacharier LB, Baty J, Buller R, Mason S, Schechtman KB, Sajol G, Isaacson-Schmid M, Castro M, Storch GA. Does azithromycin modify viral load during severe respiratory syncytial virus bronchiolitis? J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2015. doi:10.1016/j.jaci.2015.06.011 PMID:26215052
7.	Wylie TN, Wylie KM, Buller RS, Cannella M, Storch GA. Development and Evaluation of an Enterovirus D68 Real-Time Reverse Transcriptase PCR Assay. J Clin Microbiol. 2015. doi:10.1128/JCM.00923-15 PMID:26063859
8.	Wylie KM, Wylie TN, Orvedahl A, Buller RS, Herter BN, Magrini V, Wilson RK, Storch GA. Genome sequence of enterovirus D68 from St. Louis, Missouri, USA. Emerg Infect Dis. 2015;21(1):184-6. doi:10.3201/eid2101.141605 PMCID:PMC4285240 PMID:25532062
9.	Rychert J, Danziger-Isakov L, Yen-Lieberman B, Storch G, Buller R, Sweet SC, Mehta AK, Cheeseman JA, Heeger P, Rosenberg ES, Fishman JA. Multicenter comparison of laboratory performance in cytomegalovirus and Epstein-Barr virus viral load testing using international standards. Clin Transplant. 2014;28(12):1416-23. doi:10.1111/ctr.12473 PMCID:PMC4481866 PMID:25303316
10.	Buller RS. Molecular detection of respiratory viruses. Clin Lab Med. 2013;33(3):439-60. doi:10.1016/j.cll.2013.03.007 PMID:23931834
11.	Colvin JM, Muenzer JT, Jaffe DM, Smason A, Deych E, Shannon WD, Arens MQ, Buller RS, Lee WM, Weinstock EJ, Weinstock GM, Storch GA. Detection of viruses in young children with fever without an apparent source. Pediatrics. 2012;130(6):e1455-62. doi:10.1542/peds.2012-1391 PMCID:PMC3507256 PMID:23129086
12.	Yamada M, Buller R, Bledsoe S, Storch GA. Rising rates of macrolide-resistant Mycoplasma pneumoniae in the central United States. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2012;31(4):409-0. doi:10.1097/INF.0b013e318247f3e0 PMID:22209916
13.	Arens MQ, Buller RS, Rankin A, Mason S, Whetsell A, Agapov E, Lee WM, Storch GA. Comparison of the Eragen Multi-Code Respiratory Virus Panel with conventional viral testing and real-time multiplex PCR assays for detection of respiratory viruses. J Clin Microbiol. 2010;48(7):2387-95. doi:10.1128/JCM.00220-10 PMCID:PMC2897522 PMID:20484608
14.	Hormozdi DJ, Arens MQ, Le BM, Buller RS, Agapov E, Storch GA. KI polyomavirus detected in respiratory tract specimens from patients in St. Louis, Missouri. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2010;29(4):329-33. doi:10.1097/INF.0b013e3181c1795c PMID:19949359
15.	Nolte FS, Marshall DJ, Rasberry C, Schievelbein S, Banks GG, Storch GA, Arens MQ, Buller RS, Prudent JR. MultiCode-PLx system for multiplexed detection of seventeen respiratory viruses. J Clin Microbiol. 2007;45(9):2779-86. doi:10.1128/JCM.00669-07 PMCID:PMC2045250 PMID:17596361
16.	Le B-M, Demertzis LM, Wu G, Tibbets RJ, Buller R, Arens MQ, Gaynor AM, Storch GA, Wang D. Clinical and epidemiologic characterization of WU polyomavirus infection, St. Louis, Missouri. Emerg Infect, Dis. 2007;13:1936-1938.
17.	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
18.	Harrington SM, Buller RS, Storch GA, Li L, Fischer SH, Murray PR, Gea-Banacloche JC. The effect of quantification standards used in real-time CMV PCR assays on guidelines for initiation of therapy in allogeneic stem cell transplant patients. Bone Marrow Transplant. 2007;39(4):237-8. doi:10.1038/sj.bmt.1705558 PMID:17211434
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.	Blaeser F, Kelly M, Siegrist K, Storch GA, Buller RS, Whitlock J, Truong N, Chatila TA. Critical function of the CD40 pathway in parvovirus B19 infection revealed by a hypomorphic CD40 ligand mutation. Clin Immunol. 2005;117(3):231-7. doi:10.1016/j.clim.2005.08.005 PMID:16169277
21.	Brenner W, Storch G, Buller R, Vij R, Devine S, DiPersio J. Correspondence: West Nile virus encephalopathy in an allogeneic stem cell transplant recipient: Use of quantitative PCR for diagnosis and assessment of viral clearance. Bone Marrow Transplant. 2005;36:369-370.
22.	Mulford WS, Buller RS, Arens MQ, Storch GA. Correlation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cell counts and elevated CSF protein levels with enterovirus reverse transcription-PCR results in pediatric and adult patients. J Clin Microbiol. 2004;42(9):4199-203. doi:10.1128/JCM.42.9.4199-4203.2004 PMCID:PMC516328 PMID:15365011
23.	Buller RS, Storch G. Evaluation of a real-time PCR assay using the LightCycler system for detection of parvovirus B19 DNA. J Clin Microbiol. 2004;42(7):3326-8. doi:10.1128/JCM.42.7.3326-3328.2004 PMCID:PMC446240 PMID:15243107
24.	Arens MQ, Liddell AM, Buening G, Gaudreault-Keener M, Sumner JW, Comer JA, Buller RS, Storch GA. Detection of Ehrlichia spp. in the blood of wild white-tailed deer in Missouri by PCR assay and serologic analysis. J Clin Microbiol. 2003;41(3):1263-5. PMCID:PMC150261 PMID:12624063
25.	Liddell AM, Sumner JW, Paddock CD, Rikihisa Y, Unver A, Buller RS, Storch GA. Reinfection with Ehrlichia chaffeensis in a liver transplant recipient. Clin Infect Dis. 2002;34(12):1644-7. doi:10.1086/340523 PMID:12032902
26.	Gusa AA, Buller RS, Storch GA, Huycke MM, Machado LJ, Slater LN, Stockham SL, Massung RF. Identification of a p28 gene in Ehrlichia ewingii: evaluation of gene for use as a target for a species-specific PCR diagnostic assay. J Clin Microbiol. 2001;39(11):3871-6. doi:10.1128/JCM.39.11.3871-3876.2001 PMCID:PMC88457 PMID:11682500
27.	Paddock CD, Folk SM, Shore GM, Machado LJ, Huycke MM, Slater LN, Liddell AM, Buller RS, Storch GA, Monson TP, Rimland D, Sumner JW, Singleton J, Bloch KC, Tang YW, Standaert SM, Childs JE. Infections with Ehrlichia chaffeensis and Ehrlichia ewingii in persons coinfected with human immunodeficiency virus. Clin Infect Dis. 2001;33(9):1586-94. doi:10.1086/323981 PMID:11568857
28.	Young PP, Buller RS, Storch GA. Evaluation of a commercial DNA enzyme immunoassay for detection of enterovirus reverse transcription-PCR products amplified from cerebrospinal fluid specimens. J Clin Microbiol. 2000;38(11):4260-1. PMCID:PMC87577 PMID:11060104
29.	Buller RS. Ehrlichia ewingii: an emerging agent of human ehrlichiosis. LabMedica International. 2000;March/April:19-21.
30.	Wong M, Schlaggar BL, Buller RS, Storch GA, Landt M. Cerebrospinal fluid protein concentration in pediatric patients: defining clinically relevant reference values. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2000;154(8):827-31. PMID:10922281
31.	Sumner JW, Storch GA, Buller RS, Liddell AM, Stockham SL, Rikihisa Y, Messenger S, Paddock CD. PCR amplification and phylogenetic analysis of groESL operon sequences from Ehrlichia ewingii and Ehrlichia muris. J Clin Microbiol. 2000;38(7):2746-9. PMCID:PMC87017 PMID:10878077
32.	Unver A, Rikihisa Y, Ohashi N, Cullman LC, Buller R, Storch GA. Western and dot blotting analyses of Ehrlichia chaffeensis indirect fluorescent-antibody assay-positive and -negative human sera by using native and recombinant E. chaffeensis and E. canis antigens. J Clin Microbiol. 1999;37:3888-3895.
33.	Buller RS, Arens M, Hmiel SP, Paddock CD, Sumner JW, Rikhisa Y, Unver A, Gaudreault-Keener M, Manian FA, Liddell AM, Schmulewitz N, Storch GA. Ehrlichia ewingii, a newly recognized agent of human ehrlichiosis. N Engl J Med. 1999;341(3):148-55. doi:10.1056/NEJM199907153410303 PMID:10403852
34.	Roberts TC, Brennan DC, Buller RS, Gaudreault-Keener M, Schnitzler MA, Sternhell KE, Garlock KA, Singer GG, Storch GA. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction to predict occurrence of symptomatic cytomegalovirus infection and assess response to ganciclovir therapy in renal transplant recipients. J Infect Dis. 1998;178(3):626-35. PMID:9728529
35.	Brennan DC, Garlock KA, Singer GG, Schnitzler MA, Lippmann BJ, Buller RS, Gaudreault-Keener M, Lowell JA, Shenoy S, Howard TK, Storch GA. Prophylactic oral ganciclovir compared with deferred therapy for control of cytomegalovirus in renal transplant recipients. Transplantation. 1997;64(12):1843-6. PMID:9422429
36.	Roberts TC, Buller RS, Gaudreault-Keener M, Sternhell KE, Garlock K, Singer GG, Brennan DC, Storch GA. Effects of storage temperature and time on qualitative and quantitative detection of cytomegalovirus in blood specimens by shell vial culture and PCR. J Clin Microbiol. 1997;35(9):2224-8. PMCID:PMC229944 PMID:9276392
37.	Brennan DC, Garlock KA, Lippmann BA, Buller RS, Gaudreault-Keener M, Lowell JA, Miller SB, Shenoy S, Howard TK, Storch GA. Control of cytomegalovirus-associated morbidity in renal transplant patients using intensive monitoring and either preemptive or deferred therapy. J Am Soc Nephrol. 1997;8(1):118-25. PMID:9013456
38.	Brennan DC, Garlock KA, Lippmann BJ, Buller RS, Gaudreault-Keener M, Lowell JA, Miller SB, Shenoy S, Howard TK, Storch GA. Polymerase chain reaction-triggered preemptive or deferred therapy to control cytomegalovirus-associated morbidity and costs in renal transplant patients. Transplant Proc. 1997;29(1-2):809-11. PMID:9123536
39.	Buller RS, Gaudreault-Keener M, Rossiter-Fornoff J, Storch GA. Direct quantitative comparison of shell vial and conventional culture for detection of CMV viremia. Clin Diagn Virol. 1995;3(4):317-22. PMID:15566812
40.	Schlesinger Y, Tebas P, Gaudreault-Keener M, Buller RS, Storch GA. Herpes simplex virus type 2 meningitis in the absence of genital lesions: improved recognition with use of the polymerase chain reaction. Clin Infect Dis. 1995;20(4):842-8. PMID:7795083
41.	Bailey TC, Buller RS, Ettinger NA, Trulock EP, Gaudreault-Keener M, Langlois TM, Fornoff JE, Cooper JD, Storch GA. Quantitative analysis of cytomegalovirus viremia in lung transplant recipients. J Infect Dis. 1995;171(4):1006-10. PMID:7706777
42.	Schlesinger Y, Buller RS, Brunstrom JE, Moran CJ, Storch GA. Expanded spectrum of herpes simplex encephalitis in childhood. J Pediatr. 1995;126(2):234-41. PMID:7844669
43.	Lee SF, Buller R, Chansue E, Hanika WC Brunt EM, Aquino T, Storch GA, Pepose JS. Vaccinia keratouveitis presenting as a masquerade syndrome Am J Ophthal. 1994;117:480-487.
44.	Storch GA, Buller RS, Bailey TC, Ettinger NA, Langlois T, Gaudreault-Keener M, Welby PL. Comparison of PCR and pp65 antigenemia assay with quantitative shell vial culture for detection of cytomegalovirus in blood leukocytes from solid-organ transplant recipients. J Clin Microbiol. 1994;32(4):997-1003. PMCID:PMC267169 PMID:8027357
45.	Clifford DB, Buller RS, Mohammed S, Robison L, Storch GA. Use of polymerase chain reaction to demonstrate cytomegalovirus DNA in CSF of patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection. Neurology. 1993;43(1):75-9. PMID:8380909
46.	Buller RS, Bailey TC, Ettinger NA, Keener M, Langlois T, Miller JP, Storch GA. Use of a modified shell vial technique to quantitate cytomegalovirus viremia in a population of solid-organ transplant recipients. J Clin Microbiol. 1992;30(10):2620-4. PMCID:PMC270488 PMID:1328280
47.	Pincus SH, Wehrly K, Tschachler E, Hayes SF, Buller RS, Reitz M. Variants selected by treatment of human immunodeficiency virus-infected cells with an immunotoxin. J Exp Med. 1990;172(3):745-57. PMCID:PMC2188557 PMID:1696955
48.	Chesebro B, Buller R, Portis J, Wehrly K. Failure of human immunodeficiency virus entry and infection in CD4-positive human brain and skin cells. J Virol. 1990;64:214-221.
49.	Caughey B, Neary K, Buller R, Ernst D, Perry LL, Chesebro B, Race RE. Normal and scrapie-associated forms of prion protein differ in their sensitivities to phospholipase and proteases in intact neuroblastoma cells. J Virol. 1990;64:1093-1101.
50.	Buller RS, Wehrly K, Portis JL, Chesebro B. Host genes conferring resistance to a central nervous system disease induced by a polytropic recombinant Friend murine retrovirus. J Virol. 1990;64(2):493-8. PMCID:PMC249136 PMID:2153219
51.	Buller RS, Van Zant G, Eldridge PW, Portis JL. A population of murine hematopoietic progenitors expresses an endogenous retroviral gp70 linked to the Rmcf gene and associated with resistance to erythroleukemia. J Exp Med. 1989;169(3):865-80. PMCID:PMC2189291 PMID:2926325
52.	Buller RS, Sitbon M, Portis JL. The endogenous mink cell focus-forming (MCF) gp70 linked to the Rmcf gene restricts MCF virus replication in vivo and provides partial resistance to erythroleukemia induced by Friend murine leukemia virus. J Exp Med. 1988;167(5):1535-46. PMCID:PMC2188947 PMID:2835418
53.	Remington KM, Buller RS, Kelly JR. Effect of the Today contraceptive sponge on growth and toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 production by Staphylococcus aureus. Obstet Gynecol. 1987;69(4):563-9. PMID:3822297
54.	Buller RS, Ahmed A, Portis JL. Identification of two forms of an endogenous murine retroviral env gene linked to the Rmcf locus. J Virol. 1987;61(1):29-34. PMCID:PMC255194 PMID:3023705