Guest Author
Jesse D. Blanton, MPH, is an Epidemiologist for the Division of Viral and Rickettsial Diseases (DVRD), in the National Center for Zoonotic, Vectorborne, and Enteric Diseases (NCZVED).
In 2002, Mr. Blanton began his CDC career as an ORISE Fellow in the Division of Viral and Rickettsial Diseases (DVRD), before working as an Associate Service Fellow in the division from 2004-2007. Since 2007, he has served DVRD as an Epidemiologist in the Poxvirus and Rabies Branch, where he coordinates domestic surveillance efforts for animal and human rabies. He has published over 15 articles on canine rabies importations and human rabies cases, oral rabies vaccination of domestic and wildlife animals, and the application of GIS for rabies surveillance, among others. He is a Technical Advisor for the Alliance for Rabies Control (ARC) and serves on the CDC/CCID Surveillance Working Group.
In 2001, Mr. Blanton received a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Microbiology from the University of Georgia and, in 2003, a Masters of Public Health (MPH) from Emory University. He also received a Graduate Certificate in Geographical Information Systems (GIS) from Georgia State University in 2008.
He has received multiple awards and honors, including a 2008 CDC/NCZVED Award of Excellence, a Certificate of Appreciation from USDA, and a CDC/ NCID Public Health Protection Research Award.