Chamber Connect featuring Dr. Blodgett, Southwest Utah Public Health Department

Living in the desert, residents are more susceptible to infections and diseases not widely known elsewhere.  At this Chamber luncheon, we'll hear from the Director of the Southwest Utah Public Health Department about Valley Fever and other infections known to this area.
 
Valley fever is a fungal lung infection that can be devastating. It is an infection caused by a fungus that lives in the soil. About 10,000 cases are reported in the United States each year, mostly from Arizona and California. Valley fever can be misdiagnosed because its symptoms are similar to those of other illnesses. 
 
About Dr. David Blodgett, MD, MPH--Director of The Southwest Utah Public Health Department and Health Officer
David W. Blodgett graduated from SUU in 1993 with a BA in Zoology/Chemistry, and then the University of Utah Medical School in 1999. Dr. Blodgett completed clinical residency training at Bassett Hospital in Cooperstown, NY, a Columbia University affiliate, and the Preventive Medicine Residency at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, where he was Chief Resident. After residency, he worked at the Johns Hopkins Center for Public Health Preparedness, and at the Anne Arundel County Department of Health over their Emergency Preparedness and Chronic Disease prevention divisions. He is currently the Health Officer for the Southwest Utah Public Health Department, overseeing the health of 225,000 people in the five county area, a position he has held since 2005.