Davidson H. Hamer, MD
Professor, Global Health

Biography
Davidson Hamer, MD, FACP, FIDSA, FASTMH, FISTM is a Professor of Global Health and Medicine at the Boston University School of Public Health and Chobanian & Avesidian School of Medicine, and Adjunct Professor of Nutrition at the Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy. Dr. Hamer, a board-certified specialist in infectious diseases with a particular interest in tropical infectious diseases, has extensive field experience in neonatal and child survival research including studies of micronutrient interventions, maternal and neonatal health, malaria, pneumonia, and diarrheal diseases. During the last 20+ years, he has supervised and provided technical support to more than 50 studies in developing countries that evaluated interventions for improving neonatal survival, improving access for pregnant women to emergency obstetrical care, treatment and prevention of malaria, HIV/AIDS, micronutrient deficiencies, diarrheal disease, and pneumonia. Dr. Hamer received a MD from the University of Vermont College of Medicine and a BA in biology and French from Amherst College. He is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians, Infectious Diseases Society of America, American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, and the International Society of Travel Medicine.
Dr. Hamer currently has active projects in Bangladesh, Zambia, and the United States. Major current projects include neonatal sepsis prevention using prebiotics and probiotics in Bangladesh; nutritional status of adolescents in Zambia; and a prospective cohort study that includes a biobank of US immigrants with Chagas disease. In addition, Dr. Hamer is the Surveillance Lead for the GeoSentinel Surveillance Network, a global network of 70 sites in 31 countries that conducts surveillance of emerging infectious diseases using returning travelers, immigrants, and refugees as sentinels of infection (https://geosentinel.org).
Other Positions
- Professor, Infectious Diseases, Medicine, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
- Faculty, National Emerging Infectious Disease Lab, Boston University
- Faculty, Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases Policy & Research, Boston University
- Core Co-lead for EIDs, One Health, and Climate Change, Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases Policy & Research, Boston University
- Faculty, African Studies Center, Boston University
- Member, Pulmonary Center, Boston University
- Member, Evans Center for Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research, Boston University
- Graduate Faculty (Primary Mentor of Grad Students), Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Graduate Medical Sciences
Education
- University of Vermont College of Medicine, MD
- Amherst College, BA
Publications
- Published on 7/25/2023
Huits R, Wallender E, Angelo KM, Libman M, Hamer DH. A Zebra Among the Horses: Clinical Implications of Malaria in the United States. Ann Intern Med. 2023 Sep; 176(9):1269-1270. PMID: 37487212.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 7/21/2023
Neupane R, Bhathena M, Das G, Long E, Beard J, Solomon H, Simon JL, Nisar YB, MacLeod WB, Hamer DH. Antibiotic resistance trends for common bacterial aetiologies of childhood diarrhoea in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review. J Glob Health. 2023 Jul 21; 13:04060. PMID: 37475599.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 6/30/2023
Brown AB, Miller C, Hamer DH, Kozarsky P, Libman M, Huits R, Rizwan A, Emetulu H, Waggoner J, Chen LH, Leung DT, Bourque D, Connor BA, Licitra C, Angelo KM. Travel-Related Diagnoses Among U.S. Nonmigrant Travelers or Migrants Presenting to U.S. GeoSentinel Sites - GeoSentinel Network, 2012-2021. MMWR Surveill Summ. 2023 Jun 30; 72(7):1-22. PMID: 37368820.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 6/26/2023
Egbe FN, Cowden C, Mwananyanda L, Pierre C, Mwansa J, Lukwesa Musyani C, Lyondo A, Kapasa ML, Machona S, Chilufya MM, Munanjala G, Coffin SE, Hamer DH, Bates MA. Etiology of Bacterial Sepsis and Isolate Resistance Patterns in Hospitalized Neonates in Zambia. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2023 Oct 01; 42(10):921-926. PMID: 37364138.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 6/20/2023
Huits R, Angelo KM, Amatya B, Barkati S, Barnett ED, Bottieau E, Emetulu H, Epelboin L, Eperon G, Medebb L, Gobbi F, Grobusch MP, Itani O, Jordan S, Kelly P, Leder K, Díaz-Menéndez M, Okumura N, Rizwan A, Rothe C, Saio M, Waggoner J, Yoshimura Y, Libman M, Hamer DH, Schwartz E. Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes Among Travelers With Severe Dengue : A GeoSentinel Analysis. Ann Intern Med. 2023 Jul; 176(7):940-948. PMID: 37335991.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 6/17/2023
Sutradhar I, Kalyan P, Chukwu K, Abia ALK, Mbanga J, Essack S, Hamer DH, Zaman MH. Metal Ions and their Effects on Antimicrobial Resistance Development in Wastewater. bioRxiv. 2023 Jun 17. PMID: 37398478.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 6/3/2023
Seers T, Rothe C, Hamer DH, Denny S, Spindler R, Schwartz E, Johnston V. Zika virus infection in European travellers returning from Thailand in 2022: A GeoSentinel case series. Trop Med Int Health. 2023 Jul; 28(7):576-579. PMID: 37269191.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 5/30/2023
Kaiser JL, Hamer DH, Juntunen A, Ngoma T, Fink G, Schueler J, Rockers PC, Biemba G, Scott NA. COVID-19 Knowledge and Prevention Behaviors in Rural Zambia: A Qualitative Application of the Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills Model. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2023 Jul 05; 109(1):76-89. PMID: 37253445.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 5/25/2023
Sivalogan K, Banda B, Wagner J, Biemba G, Gagne N, Grogan C, Hamomba F, Herlihy JM, Mabeta C, Shankoti P, Simamvwa G, Sooli B, Yeboah-Antwi K, Hamer DH, Semrau KEA. Impact of beliefs on perception of newborn illness, caregiver behaviors, and care-seeking practices in Zambia's Southern province. PLoS One. 2023; 18(5):e0282881. PMID: 37228055.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 5/18/2023
Piyaphanee W, Stoney RJ, Asgeirsson H, Appiah GD, Díaz-Menéndez M, Barnett ED, Gautret P, Libman M, Schlagenhauf P, Leder K, Plewes K, Grobusch MP, Huits R, Mavunda K, Hamer DH, Chen LH. Healthcare seeking during travel: an analysis by the GeoSentinel surveillance network of travel medicine providers. J Travel Med. 2023 May 18; 30(3). PMID: 36637429.
Read at: PubMed
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