During the past century, public health was challenged with promoting sanitation and childhood immunization programs to eradicate smallpox and polio and reduce other diseases such as typhoid fever, tuberculosis, and whooping cough. However, in the 21st Century, the challenges of public health continue to surface as we battle infectious disease and foodborne outbreaks such as H1N1 flu and Salmonella Typhimurium.  Public health has become a new face in the preparedness arena and has been instrumental in responses such as the September 11th attacks, the 2005 Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and the 2010 Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill.

In this blog, we share our public health passions about the evolution of public health and the continual strides that are being made to protect and save lives through education, awareness, research, and promoting healthy lifestyles.  We look forward to listening to our communities for greater transparency and accountability. I will be joined by our scientists and other subject matter experts who spend their days working with some of the most critical infectious diseases, as well as preparing for and responding to public health emergencies that threaten us in the United States and around the world.  From high-tech labs in Atlanta to the field worldwide, please join us as we share our perspective and personal experiences working on the front lines of emerging infectious diseases and public health emergencies.