Outbreak News and Interviews – Details, episodes & analysis

In this podcast, I look at the recent human plague cases in the United States and discuss some specifics about the 'ancient disease'

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently warned that a major chikungunya virus epidemic risks sweeping around the globe, calling for urgent action to prevent it.

The call-to-action urges countries to scale their lab diagnostics and surveillance, train staff, and strengthen healthcare systems as cases are appearing in popular travel destinations across Europe, Africa and Southeast Asia.

Joining me today to examine this topic is Ben Simone, MD, FFPH. He is the Global Medical Affairs Director Travel Vaccines at Bavarian Nordic.

Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe since 1980, is a landlocked country in Southeast Africa.

From 1978-1980, Rhodesia experienced one of the largest anthrax epidemics in recorded history. This led to the deaths of hundreds and caused significant economic devastation.

The epidemic happened during the Rhodesian Bush War.

To this day, the origins of this devastating outbreak remain highly controversial- was it the result of an endemic outbreak or a case of biological warfare?

Today I’m going to look at the history of the epidemic and the possible causes with Matthew Turner, MD. Dr Turner is with the Department of Emergency Medicine at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center in Hershey Pennsylvania. He is also the author of an article on the topic published in the Cureus Journal of Medical Science.

The Rhodesian Anthrax Epidemic: A Case of Biological Warfare?

While the world’s focus has been on COVID-19, sometimes it seems like nothing else is happening in infectious diseases. But that is far from the reality.

In recent years, we’ve seen Nigeria report large numbers of Lassa fever, we continue to see plague outbreaks from Africa to Asia and monkeypox cases have risen in recent decades.

Joining me to talk about these other outbreaks is Stephen A. Berger, M.D.   Dr. Berger is the co-founder of GIDEON Informatics (Global Infectious Diseases and Epidemiology Network).

Florida has reported about 1.6 million total COVID-19 cases, including more than 24,000 deaths.

We’ve known for some time that some of the most vulnerable people are those aged 65 years and older and since Florida has the second-highest proportion of retirement-age residents in the nation this makes getting the COVID-19 vaccine available an imperative.

Joining me today to give an update how hospitals Are Managing to Administer Vaccines to the 65 and Over Population  is Justin Senior, Justin is CEO of the Safety Net Hospital Alliance of Florida.

Researchers from the University of Florida in a new study report the mosquito, Aedes scapularis is now established in mainland Florida in Broward and Miami-Dade counties.

How did it arrive in the US? And What is the public health significance of this finding?

Joining me today to answer these questions and more is Lawrence Reeves, Ph.D.  Dr Reeves is an entomologist and Research Assistant Scientist at the Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory.

In late 2018 into early 2019, an outbreak of a form of hantavirus called Andes virus, swept through a small town in Argentina infecting 34 and killing 11.

Researchers led by a team from the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) attribute the size of the outbreak to a super spreader event.

Joining me to discuss Andes virus and the Argentina outbreak is Dr. Gustavo Palacios, Chief of Molecular Biology at USAMRIID, and National Research Council Fellow, Dr. Nicholas Di Paola.

Last month, a multidisciplinary panel led by the Infectious Diseases Society of America, the American Academy of Neurology, and the American College of Rheumatology published the 2020 Guidelines for the Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Lyme Disease in Clinical Infectious Diseases.

The authors say it provides recommendations aimed to serve as a meaningful resource for the safe, effective, evidence-based care of people with Lyme disease. 

Here to give her views on the guidelines is attorney and the Chief Executive Officer of LymeDisease.org, Lorraine Johnson, JD, MBA.

The U.S. is in the grips of a third wave of the coronavirus pandemic and the numbers are rising at a rapid pace.

A vaccine is what public health officials are banking on to get us out of it.

With that, viral mutations are a concern.

My guest today is screening wastewater for the presence of COVID-19 to determine if the virus is circulating and if different strains of the virus are cropping up.

Joining me for today's show is Edwin Oh, PhD. Dr Oh is an Associate Professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas School of Medicine.

President-elect Joe Biden recently announced a new 13 member COVID-19 advisory board to guide his administration during the transition period.

One of the members is Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) Director Michael Osterholm, PhD, MPH.

Dr Osterholm has been a guest on this show numerous times over recent years. He joined me today to discuss issues that elicit questions and debate--lockdowns, or a "pause", mask mandates and COVID-19 testing.