American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
A U.S.-based nonprofit scientific and professional society advancing research, education, clinical practice, and policy related to tropical medicine, infectious disease, and global health.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Overview
The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH) is a U.S.-based nonprofit professional and scientific society focused on diseases that disproportionately affect people in low- and middle-income countries and other populations facing substantial infectious-disease burdens. Its work connects laboratory science, epidemiology, clinical medicine, field research, public-health programming, education, and policy advocacy. The organization brings together scientists, physicians, students, public-health professionals, and program specialists working on bacterial, viral, parasitic, vector-borne, and other infectious diseases. The society traces its origins to the Society of Tropical Medicine of Philadelphia, established on March 9, 1903, by 28 physicians. Twelve days later, the organization adopted the name American Society of Tropical Medicine. Its creation reflected expanding American engagement with tropical regions and growing recognition that tropical diseases required specialized scientific and medical knowledge. The early society quickly developed a national rather than purely Philadelphia-based identity, holding meetings in Baltimore, New York City, and Washington, D.C., during its first five years. Thomas Fenton, an ophthalmologist trained at the University of Pennsylvania Medical School, served as its first president. William Crawford Gorgas, known for his work against yellow fever in Panama, was among the notable early leaders. The organization broadened its professional base over time. In 1908, Clara Southmayd Ludlow became its first female active member and its first active member who was not a physician. Membership grew gradually, reaching 516 in 1941. By the end of U.S. involvement in the Second World War, membership had risen to 1,213, with almost half of the society's members serving in the armed forces. A parallel malaria-focused organization, initially established as the National Malaria Committee in 1916 by Frederick L. Hoffman, became the National Malaria Society in 1941. As malaria became less prominent as a domestic U.S. threat, the malaria society expanded its interests and merged with the American Society of Tropical Medicine in 1951. The resulting organization adopted its current name, emphasizing both tropical medicine and hygiene. ASTMH's principal scholarly publication is The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, issued monthly since 1952. The journal was created through the combination of the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and the Journal of the National Malaria Society. It publishes peer-reviewed research, reviews, short reports, case studies, treatment and drug-efficacy studies, disease-control methods, diagnostic and testing research, book reviews, and correspondence. Its subject matter spans parasitology, immunology, infectious diseases, epidemiology, molecular biology, virology, vaccine development, HIV/AIDS, and international medicine. The society also operates as an educational and convening organization. Its annual scientific meeting attracts members and nonmembers from the Americas and other regions, including researchers, clinicians, postdoctoral fellows, and students. The program typically includes scientific sessions, plenary lectures, workshops, and poster presentations. ASTMH additionally offers an Intensive Update Course in Clinical Tropical Medicine and Travelers' Health and administers a certificate examination leading to the Certificate of Knowledge in Clinical Tropical Medicine and Travelers' Health, commonly known as CTropMed. ASTMH supports professional recognition through medals, awards, and fellowships. Its honors include the Bailey K. Ashford Medal, Ben Kean Medal, Joseph Augustin LePrince Medal, Donald Mackay Medal, Walter Reed Medal, and Harry Hoogstraal Medal, recognizing contributions to tropical medicine, clinical education, malariology, tropical health, medical entomology, and related fields. In more recent decades, the society has also expanded its policy and advocacy role, urging U.S. lawmakers to support malaria control, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, infectious-disease research, overseas health professionals, and biomedical work on neglected tropical diseases. ASTMH's present identity therefore combines scholarly publishing, professional education, scientific networking, recognition of achievement, and advocacy for global infectious-disease control.
History
ASTMH developed from the early twentieth-century professionalization of tropical medicine in the United States. The Society of Tropical Medicine of Philadelphia was created on March 9, 1903, by 28 physicians who sought a formal institution for studying diseases associated with tropical environments and overseas medical work. The group changed its name to the American Society of Tropical Medicine shortly afterward, signaling an ambition to serve a national membership. Its early meetings moved beyond Philadelphia to Baltimore, New York City, and Washington, D.C., helping establish the society as a national scientific organization. The society's initial development was shaped by expanding U.S. commercial, military, and public-health interests in tropical regions, as well as by major late-nineteenth-century discoveries concerning infectious disease transmission. Thomas Fenton, an ophthalmologist educated at the University of Pennsylvania Medical School, was the first president. William Crawford Gorgas, whose career included major yellow-fever control work in Panama, became one of the prominent early leaders associated with the organization. In 1908, Clara Southmayd Ludlow was elected the first female active member and the first active member who was not a physician, reflecting the gradual inclusion of laboratory and other scientific disciplines alongside clinical medicine. A separate malaria organization emerged in 1916 when Frederick L. Hoffman, chief statistician of the Prudential Insurance Company, founded the National Malaria Committee. It was renamed the National Malaria Society in 1941. Both organizations expanded during the first half of the century. The American Society of Tropical Medicine had 516 members in 1941 and 1,213 members by the end of U.S. involvement in the Second World War; almost half of its members were serving in the armed forces at that point. As malaria declined as a major domestic U.S. problem, the National Malaria Society broadened its interests. The two organizations merged in 1951, creating the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. The merged society consolidated its scholarly role through publication of The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, which began in 1952. The journal combined the American Journal of Tropical Medicine with the Journal of the National Malaria Society. It provided a platform for research covering tropical and international medicine, parasitology, immunology, infectious diseases, epidemiology, molecular biology, virology, diagnostics, vaccines, treatment, prevention, and disease-control programs. Over the decades, ASTMH expanded beyond publication and annual membership meetings. It established a large international professional network involving scientists, clinicians, students, and public-health program professionals. Its annual scientific meeting became a major venue for presentations, plenary sessions, workshops, and posters addressing bacterial, viral, and parasitic infections. The society also developed structured educational programs, including an Intensive Update Course in Clinical Tropical Medicine and Travelers' Health and the CTropMed certificate examination. ASTMH's recognition programs further institutionalized achievement in the field. Its medals honor contributions to tropical medicine, clinical care and education, malariology, tropical health, medical entomology, and broader infectious-disease work. Fellowships support students and early-career professionals. During the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries, the society also increased its policy role. It advocated for federal support for malaria prevention, insecticide-treated interventions, preventive treatment, contributions to the Global Fund, research programs operated by U.S. agencies, overseas health-professional work, and biomedical research into neglected tropical diseases. Today, ASTMH functions as a global scientific and professional network headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, combining research communication, education, meetings, professional recognition, and public-health advocacy.
- 2019
68th Annual Meeting held in National Harbor
[1]The 68th Annual Meeting took place from November 20 to 24 in National Harbor, Maryland, in the Washington, D.C., area.
- 2018
67th Annual Meeting held in New Orleans
[1]ASTMH held its 67th Annual Meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana, from October 28 to November 1.
- 1991
Scott Halstead served as society president
[1]American physician-scientist, virologist, and epidemiologist Scott Halstead served as ASTMH president.
- 1952
Official journal launched
[1]The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene began publication after the combination of two predecessor journals.
- 1951
Modern ASTMH formed through merger
[1]The American Society of Tropical Medicine and the National Malaria Society merged to create ASTMH.
- 1941
National Malaria Committee renamed
[1]The National Malaria Committee adopted the name National Malaria Society as its work broadened.
- 1916
National Malaria Committee established
[1]Frederick L. Hoffman founded a separate organization focused on malaria; it later became the National Malaria Society.
- 1908
Clara Southmayd Ludlow admitted as first female active member
[1]Ludlow became the society's first female active member and its first active member who was not a physician.
- 1903
Society of Tropical Medicine of Philadelphia founded
[1]Twenty-eight physicians established the organization in Philadelphia on March 9, creating the institutional predecessor of ASTMH.
- 1903
Name changed to American Society of Tropical Medicine
[1]The founding group adopted a broader national name twelve days after its establishment.
Products and positioning
A global professional home for researchers, clinicians, educators, students, and public-health practitioners working to understand, prevent, diagnose, and control tropical and other infectious diseases, with a strong emphasis on global health equity.
Scientific journal · 1952
The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
ASTMH's monthly peer-reviewed journal publishes original research and reviews across tropical medicine and global health. Coverage includes parasitology, immunology, infectious diseases, epidemiology, virology, molecular biology, diagnostics, vaccines, treatments, disease-prevention methods, field programs, and international medicine. It was created in 1952 through the merger of two predecessor journals.
Scientific conference
ASTMH Annual Meeting
The annual scientific meeting brings together researchers, clinicians, postdoctoral fellows, students, and public-health professionals from the Americas and other regions. Its program includes scientific presentations, plenary sessions, workshops, and poster sessions focused on infectious-disease transmission, treatment, prevention, and control.
Continuing education
Intensive Update Course in Clinical Tropical Medicine and Travelers' Health
An annual educational course designed to update clinicians and other health professionals on clinical tropical medicine and travelers' health. The course forms part of ASTMH's professional-development and medical-education activities.
Professional certification
Certificate of Knowledge in Clinical Tropical Medicine and Travelers' Health
ASTMH's certificate examination assesses knowledge in clinical tropical medicine and travelers' health. Successful candidates receive recognition through the CTropMed credential.
Professional recognition
ASTMH awards and fellowships
The society presents medals and other honors for achievements in tropical medicine, clinical education, malariology, tropical health, medical entomology, and related disciplines. It also provides fellowships for qualifying students and early-career professionals.
Marketing campaigns
- Federal funding advocacy for malaria and neglected tropical diseases
United States · Global
ASTMH has advocated for U.S. federal investment in malaria control, including insecticides, bed nets, and preventive treatment, as well as expanded biomedical and clinical research into treatments and vaccines for neglected tropical diseases.
- Global Fund and international health workforce advocacy
United States · Global
The society has urged Congress to increase U.S. support for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and to provide funding for American health professionals working overseas on tropical-disease control.
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