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PrintWalter Dowdle
Dr.Dowdle has played a leading role in the Global Poliomyelitis Eradication Initiative, which is developing strategies to eradicate polio, a highly infectious disease caused by a virus that still afflicts young children in seven countries, including India, Nigeria, and Pakistan.
Poliomyelitis (polio) is a highly infectious disease caused by a virus. It invades the nervous system, and can cause total paralysis in a matter of hours. It can strike at any age, but affects mainly children under three (over 50% of all cases). In 2008, only four countries in the world remain polio-endemic, down from more than 125 in 1988. The remaining countries are Afghanistan, India, Nigeria and Pakistan.
Inducted to the College's Circle of Discovery in 2007 for his lifelong leadership in combating global infectious diseases including polio, influenza, herpes, and AIDS.
Dr. Walter Dowdle has dedicated his career to combating global infectious diseases, including polio, influenza, herpes, and AIDS through service in the World Health Organization, the Centers for Disease Control, and the Task Force for Child Survival and Development. He is currently the Task Force’s Director of the Malarone Donation Program, which works to combat the problem of drug resistant malaria in endemic countries where cost often limits access to new medicines.
Dowdle is also a Consultant to the World Health Organization (WHO) on the Global Poliomyelitis Eradication Initiative, which is developing strategies to eradicate polio, a highly infectious disease caused by a virus that still afflicts young children in seven countries, including India, Nigeria, and Pakistan.
Prior to joining The Task Force, Dr. Dowdle was Deputy Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, 1987-1994 and Acting CDC Director, 1989-1990 and 1993. He was Director of the WHO Collaborating Center for Influenza, 1968-1979; Associate Professor,School of Public Health, University of North Carolina, 1964-1984; and Honorary Fellow, John Curtin School for Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, 1972-1973.
Dr. Dowdle received his undergraduate and master’s degrees from the University of Alabama and his doctoral degree in Microbiology (’60) from the University of Maryland, College Park. Dr. Dowdle joined CDC as a virologist and served as Chief, Respiratory Virology Unit; Director, Virology Division; Assistant CDC Director for Science; Director, Center for Infectious Diseases; and Associate CDC Director for HIV/AIDS. He has had extensive experience in virus research, vaccine development/evaluation, and formulation of immunization policy. Dr. Dowdle’s current active scientific interests include polio, influenza, HIV, and malaria.
He has received wide recognition for his achievements during his career, including the Sigma Xi Lifetime Achievement Award for Public Health Science in 1995, the CDC’s Champion of Prevention Award in 1993, and the Surgeon General’s Exemplary Service Award in 1992. He received the Presidential Distinguished Executive Award in 1982 and 1989. He served as the President of the Armed Forces Epidemiologic Board from 1992-1994 and as President of the American Society for Microbiology from 1989-1990. He has served on the Editorial Board of numerous publications.
He is married to Mabel Irene Dowdle and they have three children. He served in the US Army/US Air Force Medical Corps in Germany and Korea from 1948-1952.
