The Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology (IDM) is committed to training the next generation of scientists and public health professionals to enhance the control of infectious diseases in the human population.
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Pitt Public Health researchers study tuberculosis trends in Vietnam
Tuberculosis remains the world’s leading cause of death from an infectious disease, with more than 80% of cases and deaths occurring in low- and middle-income countries. To help address the gap in health data, researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health collaborated with colleagues at Hanoi Medical University to examine TB incidence and mortality in Lang Son Province, a rural border region in northern Vietnam.
Holt named 2026 recipient of American Veterinary One Health Society Honorary Diplomate Award
James Holt, VMD, visiting associate professor of infectious diseases and microbiology at Pitt Public Health, has been named the 2026 recipient of the American Veterinary One Health Society Honorary Diplomate Award, which recognizes distinguished service and career contributions that advance the health of animals, people, plants and the environment through the principles of One Health.
Immunity Lost: How Pennsylvania’s falling school vaccination rates and enforcement failures put thousands of children at risk
As vaccination rates fall, the risks are rising. Researchers at the Public Health Dynamics Laboratory used simulation models to show local school vaccination levels now mirror those in parts of the country where outbreaks have already occurred. “The protection built over decades is waning,” said Peter Salk, a faculty member at the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health — and even small outbreaks can have serious consequences, with roughly one death and 15 to 20 hospitalizations per 1,000 cases, according to Mark Roberts, former head of the lab.