Alexandra Mailles is a veterinary epidemiologist at the French institute for public health and surveillance in Paris in the unit of zoonosis and enteric diseases. She learnt veterinary medicine at the national veterinary school of Maisons-Alfort, France, and graduated in Public health at the university of Bordeaux, France, Her main topics are zoonoses, especially rabies and Q fever, bioterrorism preparedness, and infectious encephalitis.