American Committee on Clinical Tropical Medicine and Travelers' Health (ACCTMTH)

Donate to ACCTMTH and support the clinicians' group within ASTMH, which includes civilian, military and governmental experts in travelers' health, tropical infection and tropical disease.
 

 

Clinical Pub Trivia Night Fun at TropMed23!

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Left to Rt: Alexis Elliott and Praise Okunlola Left to Rt: Mark Kortepeter and Rebecca Chancy
 
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Left to Rt: Aisha Khatib, Shaymaa Abdalal, Jill Weatherhead and Ivan Gonzalez Left to Rt: Mark Kortepeter, Shaymaa Abdalal, Alexis Elliott, Daniel Leung, Ivan Gonzalez, Praise Okunlola, Jill Weatherhead and Aisha Khatib
 
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Pub-Trivia-Night-Winners-Resized-(1).jpg Swag-Resized-(2).jpg
 


Clinical Group Newsletters


March 2024
September 2023
June 2023


CDC RESPONDS TO ASTMH ABOUT THE PAUSE IN ITS PARASITIC DISEASES LABORATORY
Questions Submitted by ASTMH Clinical Group Members  

ASTMH’s Clinical Group members recently submitted questions to CDC inquiring about the pause in testing services by CDC’s Parasitic Diseases Laboratory in the Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria (DPDM). In CDC’s ongoing commitment to sharing information with the ASTMH community, CDC provided the following responses on April 11, 2022. Updates will be provided as they become available.
(Resource: Click here for a list of non-CDC options for molecular and serologic testing for parasitic diseases.)

Why the pause for all diagnostic testing operations for parasitic diseases in September 2021?
CDC’s Parasitic Diseases Laboratory in the Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria (DPDM) paused all diagnostic testing operations for parasitic diseases to implement laboratory system improvements. CDC’s laboratories must meet and maintain the highest standards of excellence to serve as the nation’s premier health protection agency and to maintain confidence from our citizens, public health and clinical partners. We are working diligently to implement laboratory improvements to ensure that we can meet these expectations and continue offering high quality diagnostic services.

Read the full Q&A with CDC

View the letter ASTMH sent to CDC Director Rochelle Walensky in support of CDC and its Parasitic Diseases Laboratory

Read the response from Jay Butler, CDC Deputy Director for Infectious Diseases

View the editorial appearing on the Journal website, Neglected Testing for Neglected Tropical Diseases at the CDC

Read the response from CDC to the Journal editorial


The American Committee on Clinical Tropical Medicine and Travelers' Health (ACCTMTH) is the clinicians' group within ASTMH, and includes civilian, military and governmental experts in travelers' health, tropical infection and tropical disease.

A Rare Case of Hemophagocytic Syndrome: Visceral Leishmaniasis Webinar

Careers in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene Webinar Series: Pediatrics

Careers in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene Webinar Series: Obstetrics and Gynecology

ASTMH COVID-19 Therapeutics Webinar


ASTMH Ben Kean Webinar

ASTMH Clinical Students and Trainees Ebola Webinar

ASTMH Clinical Students and Trainees Update on Zika Virus Webinar

ASTMH Clinical Students and Trainees: Pre-Travel Preparation- Staying Healthy and Safe While Traveling


2017 Clinical Group Symposium Reference List

2016 Clinical Group Symposium Reference List


2014 Clinical Group Symposium Reference List

 

Trainee Collaboration

Are you a trainee seeking a collaborative opportunity? The Clinical Student Trainee Leadership Group surveyed Clinical Group Trainees to see who is interested in seeking collaborative opportunities. If you are looking for a new collaborator, participants have listed their interests, skills and desired skills of their new collaborator. For a list of trainees interested in participating, please click here  or use this link (https://forms.gle/nvL8yAZHCKCENVuQ8) to list yourself, so someone can find you!

Question of the Month!

What are the differences and similarities between the qualifications of an Infectious Disease Specialist and a Tropical Infectious Disease Specialist?

In the United States, an Infectious Diseases Specialist would be a physician who has completed training in either Internal Medicine or Pediatrics, and then 2-3 more years of subspecialty training in Infectious Diseases, and has passed a Board Certification exam in Infectious Diseases from either the American Board of Internal Medicine or the American Board of Pediatrics, both under the supervision of the American Board of Medical Specialties.

There is no equivalent Certification in Tropical Medicine available from the ABMS. In the United States, one can demonstrate a recognized level of training in tropical medicine via several pathways: 

There are a very few educational institutions in the United States which offer an established degree program in clinical tropical medicine focusing on clinical expertise. For example, Tulane University has long offered a Masters in Public Health and Tropical Medicine, which is open only to clinicians and is designed to prepare them for the practice of tropical medicine. 

A number of institutions, listed on the ASTMH website, offer Diploma or Certificate courses in clinical tropical medicine. Individuals who have taken one of these courses, or who have demonstrated significant practice experience in tropical medicine, are eligible to take the examination offered by ASTMH and to be awarded the Certificate of Knowledge in Clinical Tropical Medicine and Traveler's Health- CTropMed® from the ASTMH. Although this is not an ABMS recognized certification, it does reflect a standardized level of knowledge sanctioned by the primary society for clinical tropical medicine in the United States. Persons who have achieved this certificate are recognized by ASTMH and can use the CTropMed® designation.

The International Society of Travel Medicine offers a Certificate in Travel Medicine (CTM) which requires passing an examination offered by that Society. The CTM body of knowledge is more specific to travel, in particular pre-travel preparation, and does not as intensively focus on practice in the tropics.

Other medical practitioners may have an interest in or have received advance training in tropical medicine but not fulfilled the above criteria. They are not prohibited from advertising as specialists in tropical medicine.

In Europe, there is a body similar to the ABMS, which is the UNION EUROPÉENNE DES MÉDECINS SPÉCIALISTES (EUROPEAN UNION OF MEDICAL SPECIALISTS, or UEMS). They also do not have a recognized certification for tropical medicine. In Europe however there are somewhat more institutions which offer well established degree programs for clinicians in tropical medicine; some of these also confer eligibility to sit for the ASTMH exam.

Other countries may have specific programs in tropical medicine which vary as to requirements, but the ASTMH Certificate of Knowledge in Clinical Tropical Medicine and Traveler's Health- CTropMed® is one of the few nationally standardized programs to recognize a certain level of competency in clinical tropical medicine.

Update Course

This course provides a broad overview of the core topics in clinical tropical medicine and travelers' health. Presented in a two-day condensed format, it is an excellent review for health care professionals.

CTropMed® Examination - Certificate of Knowledge in Clinical Tropical Medicine and Travelers' Health


The Society fosters professional development in the fields of clinical tropical medicine and travelers' health. The Society has advocated and facilitated the development of new training programs in these fields and has established a mechanism for accrediting them. In addition, ASTMH has prepared an examination to assess and recognize individual excellence in training and knowledge. Passing this examination leads to a CTropMed®- Certificate of Knowledge in Clinical Tropical Medicine and Travelers' Health.
 

ACCTMTH Member Benefits

Clinical Consultants Directory
Any ACCTMTH member in good standing can list in a standardized format details of their clinical practice in the directory, which is available to the public on the ASTMH web site.

View the directory.

To be listed, contact Buffy Finn, Manager, Membership.

Awards and Scholarships

Please note: To share equally among everyone in our tropmed community, only one ASTMH (including the Subgroups) award, travel award, fellowships and/or medal will be awarded to a single recipient in a given year.

Those who receive an ASTMH-sponsored fellowship will not be eligible to receive any Subgroup research/travel awards or ASTMH Travel Awards.

Those who receive an ASTMH Travel Award are not eligible to receive any Subgroup research/travel awards or ASTMH-sponsored fellowships.

Medal recipients are limited to one medal per year.

ACCTMTH (Clinical Group) LMIC Clinician Travel Award

This travel award, introduced in 2023, recognizes a tropical medicine physician practicing in a low and low-middle income country who has demonstrated excellent clinical and teaching skills.

2023 Recipient
Jaya Chakravarty
Banaras Hindu University

Martin S. Wolfe Mentoring Award
The Clinical Group has established an award to honor the life of inspiring mentorship by our friend, teacher and colleague, Martin S. Wolfe, MD, FACP, FASTMH. This award will recognize one individual who has served as an exemplary and inspiring mentor. It will be presented to a member of the American Committee on Clinical Tropical Medicine and Travelers’ Health (ACCTMTH, the Clinical Group) who has been exceptional in guiding the professional growth of careers in tropical and travel medicine. In addition, the award will highlight and celebrate the importance of mentorship within the ACCTMTH and the ASTMH.

2022 Recipient
Michele Barry
Stanford University

2021 Recipient
Latha Rajan
Tulane University, Department of Tropical Medicine

2020 Recipient
A. Clinton White
University of Texas Medical Branch

2019 Recipient
Elaine Jong
University of Washington School of Medicine

Benjamin H. Kean Traveling Fellowship in Tropical Medicine
The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene has established a fellowship in Dr. Kean's name, administered by the American Committee on Clinical Tropical Medicine and Traveler's Health (ACCTMTH), that will provide travel expenses for medical students who arrange clinical or research electives in tropical areas. Round-trip airfare (best-price ticketing) and up to $1,000 for living expenses will be provided. Kean Fellows will be required to prepare and present reports describing their activities. View the application guidelines.

ACCTMTH Clinical Research Award
The ACCTMTH Clinical Research Award recognizes excellence in clinically-oriented research presented by a student (within six months of completing undergraduate or master's level training, including medical undergraduate degrees) or person in graduate medical training, of work submitted and presented at the ASTMH Annual Meeting.

ACCTMTH Clinical Research Award Recipients
Angela McBride, 2023
Kofi Agyapong Addo, 2023
Nadia Cattaneo, 2023
Akpedyedje Yannelle Dossou, 2023
Kathryn Radulovacki, 2022
Karen Blake Jacobson, 2022
Mohammed Sohaib Asghar, 2022
Hannah Rafferty, 2021
David Abiayi, 2021
Hannah Steinberg, 2021
Emily Ciccone, 2020
Crespoo Mbe-cho Ndiabamoh, 2020
Austin Jones, 2020

Elsevier Clinical Research Award Recipients
Titus Kwambai, 2019
Melinda Tanabe, 2019
Ruwandi Kariyawasan, 2019
Neima Briggs, 2018
Jonathan Chang, 2018
Thomas Siegert, 2018
Inke Lubis, 2017
Menno Smit, 2017
Charlotte Heuvelings, 2017
Edward Smith, 2016
Ruwandi Kariyawasan, 2016
Obadia Kenji, 2016
Rahajeng Tunjungputri, 2015
Sarah Boudova, 2015
Ross Boyce, 2015
Paul Griffin, 2014
Junxiong Pang, 2014
Luis Marcos, 2014
Remko Schats, 2013
Sarah-Blythe Ballard, 2013
Samuel Tassi Yunga, 2013
Else Bijker, 2012
Grace Chan, 2012
Jesica Christensen, 2012
Andrew Brent, 2011
Elizabeth Schlaudecker, 2011
Luther Bartelt, 2011
Paul Krezanoski, 2010
Kevin Esch, 2010
Jennifer Downs, 2010 

Dr. Vincenzo Marcolongo Lecture
The Marcolongo Lecture honors Vincenzo Marcolongo (1922–1988), founder of IAMAT -International Association for Medical Assistance to Travellers. A graduate of the medical school at the University of Rome, Dr. Marcolongo did his postgraduate training at McGill University in Montreal and returned to Italy to obtain his doctorate in tropical medicine.

Dr. Marcolongo made the health needs of travelers his life’s work. Of particular interest to him was malaria and preventing the unnecessary morbidity and mortality it causes among travelers.
In an era of increasing international travel, he realized that there was a need for collaboration among medical practitioners around the world to help travelers. In 1960 he founded IAMAT, a non-profit organization that awards scholarships to doctors and nurses from countries where travel medicine is an emerging practice.

Through IAMAT, Dr. Marcolongo worked tirelessly to inform travelers of health risks and raise awareness of travelers’ health among travel industry professionals and medical practitioners worldwide. His foresight, compassion and generosity continue to serve as inspiration for IAMAT’s work.

In his own words: “The need for peace and understanding between the peoples of the world has never been as great as now. Peace can come only with understanding, and travel is an important means of acquiring it. It is, however, only through the full consciousness of ‘the essence of the human’ that we shall be able to open the difficult paths of international relationships. As a traveler you have an excellent opportunity to serve your country and the world in creating ties of friendship. To you, therefore, we bring this message, a message sparked with beauty all its own: ‘The search for the human’."

The Marcolongo Lecture was instituted in 1990; the list of speakers follows.

2023 Dengue: The Latest in Vaccines and Other Prevention Tools   Gabriela Paz-Bailey, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases
2022 Practical Aspects of Travelers' Diarrhea for the Clinician   Mark Riddle, Pfizer Vaccines, United States
2021 Leprosy: An Ongoing Clinical Challenge   Pedro Legua, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
2020
 
Tuberculosis: Update and Current Challenges
 
  Soumya Swaminathan, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
2019 The Provision of Safe Water in Complex Environments   Robert Handby, Australian Red Cross (Retired)
 
2018              Environmental Disease in Tropical Regions   David Christiani
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
 
2017 Vibrio cholera: Lessons from Haiti and its pending research agenda Claudio F. Lanata, Instituto de Investigacion Nutricional, Lima, Peru
2016 Leptospirosis in the Tropics: The Diagnostic Challenge Suneth Agampodi, Rajarata University of Sri Lanka, Saliyapura, Sri Lanka
 
2015
 
The Clinical Fascination of Snake-Bite World Wide
 
  David A. Warrell
2014 Paraccocidiodomycosis: A Neglected Mycosis of Latin America
 
  Carlos Seas
2013 Management of Tegumentary Leishmaniasis: Lessons from Studies on Pathogenesis of Leishmania braziliensis Infection
 
  Edgar Carvalho
2012 Gallbladder Carriage of Salmonella: From Chile to Nepal
 
  Buddha Basnyat
2011 Prevention of Mother To Child Transmission of HIV Infection and HIV Free Survival: Perspectives From Resource Limited Settings
 
  Frederick Sawe

2010

Neonatal Infections- A Global Perspective 

 

Anita K.M. Zaidi

2009 Paradigm Shifts in Tuberculosis Drug Susceptibility Testing: New Dos and Don'ts
 
 

David Moore

2008 Understanding Neurocysticercosis: Advances in the Last 50 Years
 
 

Raul Isturiz

2007 Human African Trypanosomiasis: A Neglected Diseasse with Low Prevalence but High Impact
 
 

Christian Burri

2006 Severe Malaria: a Moving Target?  

Kevin Marsh

2005 Cystic Echinococcosis: to Treat or not to Treat?
 
 

Enrico Brunetti

2004 Human African Trypanosomiasis: The Past Explains the Present and is the Key to the Future
 
 

Jacques Pepin

2003 Japanese Encephalitis: West Nile's Ugly Sister
 
 

Tom Solomon

2002 Melioidosis: The Peril in the Paddy Fields  

David Dance

2001 Leishmaniasis in the Sudan  

Edward Zijlstra

2000 Leptospirosis, the Hide and Seek Disease  

Solly Faine

1999 Malaria Prophylaxis: A New Approach  

Eli Schwartz

1998 Puerto Rico Meeting Canceled (Hurricane)  

 

1997 Clinical Features & Epidemiology of Tick-Borne Encephalitis in Central and Eastern Europe
 
 

M. Roggendorg

1996 An Infectious Disease Specialist in Hait: AIDS, Typhoid Fever and Civil Unrest
 
 

Jean Pape

1995 Tuberculosis: Developments in Epidemiology, Diagnosis, Treatment and Prevention
 
 

JJ Ellner

1994 Management of Severe and Complicated Malaria
 
 

Nick White

1993 Human Rabies: Clinical Features, Pathogenesis and Potential Treatment
 
 

Thiravat Hemauchuda

1992 HIV and Opportunistic Infections in Northeastern Brazil  

Anastacio de Queiroz Sousa

1991 Tropical Dermatology  

Anthony Bryceson

1990 Radiological Aspects of Tropical and Parasitic Disease
 
 

Michael Reeder

Clinical Sessions at ASTMH Annual Meeting

Three or four half-day sessions, which are purely clinical in nature, are organized by ACCTMTH as well as an annual pre-meeting course. For the 2010 Annual Meeting, efforts were made to group the clinical content into the first two days of the conference (which follows the Clinical Pre-Meeting Course). The annual business meeting is preceded by the Marcolongo Lecture, an invited speaker of international stature, and a travelers' health and malaria update by CDC.

Clinical and Educational Resources

Only open access, non-profit, quality sites will be posted here. If you are aware of sites that would be useful to the members of the clinical group please contact the Clinical Group President with a request to have posted.

Images in Tropical Medicine Quiz: http://www.astmh.org/education-resources/clinical-images-quiz

Creepy Dreadful Wonderful Parasites: http://parasitewonders.blogspot.com/

Gorgas Clinical Cases: http://www.uab.edu/medicine/gorgas/​

ASTMH-accredited Courses: www.astmh.org/education-resources/approved-diploma-course

CDC Travelers Heath:  www.cdc.gov/travel

Zaiman Tropical Medicine Slides: www.astmh.org/education-resources/zaiman-slide-library

CDC:  DPDx (Laboratory identification of Parasites of Public Health Concern):  http://www.dpd.cdc.gov/dpdx/Default.htm

Join ACCTMTH

To join ACCTMTH (you must also join the parent society, ASTMH) contact:
 

Buffy Finn
Manager, Membership
American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
241 18th Street South, Suite 501
Arlington, VA 22202 USA
Phone: +1-571-351-5409
Fax: +1-571-351-5422
E-mail: [email protected]

ACCTMTH Executive Council Members

Position Member Term Expires
President Kyle Petersen 2024
President-Elect  Daniel Leung 2024
Past President  Natasha Hochberg 2024
Secretary/Treasurer Shaymaa Abdalal 2024
Councilor Iván González 2024
Councilor Jill Weatherhead 2025
Councilor Ralph Huits 2026
Student Representative Hendrik Sy 2024
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