Background
Born in Copenhagen, Ørskov was the daughter of Johannes Georg Oppenheuser, an engraver, and Helga Christensen.
Born in Copenhagen, Ørskov was the daughter of Johannes Georg Oppenheuser, an engraver, and Helga Christensen.
After graduating from the University of Copenhagen in 1948, she became an assistant at the institute"s International Salmonella Centre. Her thesis Om Klebsiella (1956) was one of the first scientific papers addressing the presence of bacterial cross-infection. The work led to the establishment of a coli department which became the World Health Organization"s International Escherichia Centre, leading to a national Salmonella Centre and an international Klebsiella Centre.
In 1968, she was appointed overlæge (head of department).
Ida Ørskov died on 10 April 2007 and is buried in Frederiksberg Cemetery. Her husband, Frits Ørskov, died on 29 July 2015.