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Biography
A career military officer who served as a Navy entomologist for more than 20 years, Dr. David Claborn teaches courses in environmental health, international health and public health of disasters in the Master of Public Health program, as well as courses in homeland security and chemical/biological warfare for other departments.
His research deals with a variety of factors generally dealing with the public health of disaster situations, including decontamination of chemical warfare agents, disaster planning, post-disaster disease transmission, war and public health and invasive species.
Industry Expertise (5)
Education/Learning
Research
Public Policy
Health and Wellness
Security
Areas of Expertise (7)
Environmental Health
Disaster and Public Health Preparedness
Infectious Disease
Medical Entomology
International Health
Multidisciplinary Approaches to Homeland Security
Strategic Planning in Homeland Security
Accomplishments (1)
Delta Omega (Public Health Honorary Society (professional)
Inducted June 2003
Education (3)
Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences: DrPH., Public Health 2001
Thesis focused on control of malaria near the demilitarized zone of South Korea.
Texas Tech University: MS., Entomology 1985
Thesis focused on the field biology of the red imported fire ant.
Texas Tech University: BS., Zoology 1983
Affiliations (5)
- American Mosquito Control Association
- American Society for Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
- Delta Omega (Public Health Honorary Society)
- Editorial Board, Journal of Global Epidemiology and Environmental Health
- Missouri Public Health Association
Links (2)
Media Appearances (6)
Researchers have not found primary carrier of Zika in Missouri
KY3
2016-08-08
At Missouri State University, Dr. David Claborn and others have been studying Missouri mosquitoes for about ten weeks now. They're not searching for Zika virus, but surveying what mosquitoes are here, because only certain species are known to transmit disease to humans...
If Zika reaches Missouri, these MSU researchers will be the first to know
Springfield News Leader
2016-08-03
The disturbing news out of Miami, Florida, that 14 people have contracted the Zika virus from local mosquitoes makes David Claborn's work at Missouri State University even more urgent. Claborn is leading a team of researchers who are fanning out across Missouri to trap and identify mosquitoes. They hope to find out if Missouri harbors the kinds of mosquitoes that can carry the Zika virus. Their traps might serve as an early warning picket line to identify when — or if — Zika virus makes its way to the state.
MSU researchers take aim on the Zika
KSPR
2016-07-08
Researchers at Missouri State University are taking on the Zika virus, searching for the mosquitoes carrying the virus. MSU researchers have been putting out traps across the state. They've caught thousands of them with a little dry ice at the top, and a net at the bottom. Once they've got the bugs, a very long process begins to identify mosquitoes carrying the Zika virus.
MSU leads Zika-related mosquito research
KY3
2016-07-07
The 8th and 9th cases of Zika virus have been confirmed in Missouri. State health officials say one woman had traveled to Jamaica, and the other to Haiti. Neither is pregnant. Now a professor at Missouri State University is leading research into mosquitoes that could spread the disease.
MSU entomologist helps News-Leader solve insect mystery. Maybe.
Springfield News Leader
2015-09-25
But with help from Missouri State University entomologist David Claborn and several readers who braved the insect-infested outdoors to get samples of bugs and oak leaves, the mystery has been solved. Sort of. After inspecting several samples of insects and oak leaves under a microscope, Claborn discovered what might be causing some of the bites: mites.
Biting insect bugging folks in the Ozarks
Springfield News Leader
2015-09-22
David Claborn, Missouri State University entomologist, said he doubts it is anything more than midges, but he can’t say for sure. “If it’s just the little biting midges, those things have been here forever,” Claborn said. “If it is something else, I would certainly like to look into it,” he said, adding that he hopes someone gives him a specimen — alive or dead, preferably not too smashed.
Research Grants (3)
Mosquito surveillance to assess risk of Zika and other Aedes species-transmitted arboviruses
Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services $71,000.00
2016
Radicalization and the road to terror
The Center for National Threat Assessment $1,800.00
2015
Developing a bioassay for monitoring decontamination of organophosphates used in agriculture and chemical warfare
Graduate College, Missouri State University $6,420.00
2011
Articles (11)
Does Reducing Time to Identification of Infectious Agents Reduce Incidence Rates of Norovirus in a Population Deployed to Southwest Asia?
U.S. Army Medical Department Journal
2016 During its deployment to Kuwait from 2011-2012, the 983rd Medical Detachment (Preventive Medicine) was augmented with a 4-person laboratory section which provided polymerase chain reaction capabilities not normally associated with an Army Level III preventive medicine detachment. Although common in many civilian laboratories, this was the first time this equipment was used by a deployed Level III Army preventive medicine detachment to identify an outbreak in this theater. It allowed rapid identification and description of a gastrointestinal disease outbreak caused by norovirus in Kuwait. The technology contributed to a decreased time required to identification of the causative agent (hours vs days) and thus the implementation of appropriate preventive measures. Based on this event, the authors suggest the addition of a modified laboratory section to the modified table of organization equipment for deployable preventive medicine detachments.
Chemical and Biological Warfare: Teaching the Forbidden at a State University
U.S. Army Medical Department Journal
2014 Since 2012, the graduate Missouri State University (MSU) Department of Defense and Strategic Studies (DDSS) has taught an online graduate course in chemi-cal and biological warfare to students in the university’s Master of Science degree in Defense and Strategic Stud-ies. More recently, the course has become a requirement in the Master of Science degree in Weapons of Mass Destruction Studies, a collaborative program of MSU and the National Defense University. This article describes the development, content, and cur-rent status of that course. The purpose is to demonstrate how collaboration between the military, the government, and academia can address the nation’s need for persons trained in the study of chemical and biological warfare.
A Rapid and Inexpensive Bioassay to Evaluate the Decontamination of Organophosphates
U.S. Army Medical Department Journal
2012 An inexpensive and rapid bioassay using adult red flour beetles was developed for use in assessing the decontamination of environments containing organophosphates and related chemicals. A decontamination protocol was developed which demonstrated that 2 to 3 applications of 5% bleach solution were required to obtain nearly complete decontamination of malathion.
Incarceration and Isolation of the Innocent for Reasons of Public Health
Journal of Justice and International Affairs
2011 The "police powers" of the public health authority give unique capabilities to government officials tasked with providing for the health of human populations. This paper reviews the application of terms such as "incarceration," "isolation," "quarantine" and "social distancing" in the context of public health.
The Biology and Control of Leishmaniasis Vectors
Journal of Global Infectious Diseases
2010 Vector control remains a key component of many anti-leishmaniasis programs and probably will remain so until an effective vaccine becomes available. Technologies similar to those used for control of adult mosquitoes, specifically interior residual sprays and insecticide-treated nets, are currently at the forefront as disease control measures. This article provides a review of literature on the biology and control of sand fly vectors of leishmaniasis in the context of changing disease risks and the realities of modern vector control.
Public Health Components of Academic Programs in Homeland Security
Journal of Homeland Security and Emergency Management
2010 The academic course requirements for 111 certificate and degree programs in emergency management and homeland security were reviewed to assess the degree to which the subject of public health has been incorporated into the overall curriculum of this broad and emerging field.
Modeling the Distribution of Culex tritaeniorhynchus to Predict Japanese Encephalitis Distribution in the Republic of Korea
Geospatial Health
2010 Over 35,000 cases of Japanese encephalitis (JE) are reported worldwide each year. Culex tritaeniorhynchus is the primary vector of the JE virus, while wading birds are natural reservoirs and swine amplifying hosts. As part of a JE risk analysis, the ecological niche modeling programme, Maxent, was used to develop a predictive model for the distribution of Cx. tritaeniorhynchus in the Republic of Korea, using mosquito collection data, temperature, precipitation, elevation, land cover and the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI).
Mosquito Vector Abundance Immediately Before and After Tropical Storms Alma and Arthur, northern Belize, 2008
Journal of the Pan American Health Organization
2010 This reasearch was conducted to monitor adult mosquito abundance in northern Belize before/after the first tropical storm of the wet season to estimate the time required for development/recovery of potential vector populations; determine which species predominate post-storm; and compare the effectiveness of two types of mosquito traps—octenol-baited Mosquito Magnets® and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) light traps (with/without octenol).
Failure of Interior Residual Sprays as Protection Against Mosquitoes in Military-Issued Two-Man Tents
Military Medicine
2010 Most studies on interior (or indoor) residual spraying (IRS) have been targeted on permanent/semipermanent structures. We measured the utility of a portable field bioassay, which can be set up quickly to determine the best chemical repellent or irritant for use as an IRS during an emergency or military situation when displaced persons are temporarily housed in tents.
Septic Tanks as Larval Habitats for the Mosquitoes Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus in Playa-Playita, Puerto Rico
Medical and Veterinary Entomology
2010 Adult Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus) (Diptera: Culicidae) were previously recovered from emergence traps on septic tanks in southeastern Puerto Rico. In this study we quantified immature mosquito abundance and its relationship with structural variables of the septic tanks and chemical properties of the water containing raw sewage.
Examination of a Miniaturized Funnel Trap for Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) Larval Sampling
Journal of Medical Entomology
2010 Funnel traps are often used to sample for the presence of Aedes aegypti (L.) (Diptera: Culicidae) larvae in subterranean aquatic habitats. These traps are generally ≥15 cm in diameter, making them impractical for use in subterranean sites that have narrow (10-cm) access ports, such as those in standard-sized septic tanks. Recent research indicates septic tanks may be important habitats for Ae. aegypti in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean. To sample mosquito larval populations in these sites, a miniaturized funnel trap was necessary. This project describes the use of a smaller funnel trap for sampling larval populations.
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