WormsAndGermsPod – Details, episodes & analysis

All things rabies; a discussion with Dr. Maureen Anderson DVM DVSc PhD DACVIM.

Why do we care about rabies?
What's rabies exposure?
What do we do if an animal may have been exposed to rabies?
How do we vaccinate and can titres be used?
...and much more.

For more about rabies and other infectious diseases, check us out at http://www.wormsandgermsblog.com

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (MRSP) is a multidrug resistant bacterium that's an increasing problem in dogs. But can it poses a risk to people as well? This episode will delve into the potential zoonotic disease risks from MRSP and what we can consider to assess and mitigate risks.

Antivirals have revolutionized treatment of feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), turning it from an almost invariably fatal disease to one that's usually treatable. However, antivirals are expensive and administration can be a hassle (as many cat owners can attest to). "As long as needed but as short as possible" is what we aim for with anti-infective treatments, but what does that really mean? 
In this Quick Bite, we discuss treatment duration, highlighting a recent paper that shows we might be able to use shorter durations.

Andy Gibson and Ian Battersby from Mission Rabies join Scott Weese to talk about canine rabies and Mission Rabies's international efforts to control this virus, that kills ~59,000 people a year.

To learn more about Mission Rabies, check out http://www.missionrabies.com

The Nature Communications paper about Mission Rabies' work in Goa, India that was discussed can be found here: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-022-30371-y

Dr. Katie Clow joins Scott Weese for a talk about ticks and tick borne diseases in companion animals.

Resources mentioned in the podcast:
Ontario risk map: https://www.publichealthontario.ca/-/media/Documents/O/24/ontario-blacklegged-tick-established-risk-areas-2024.pdf?rev=d7dafd390245466483d51e910f02c882&sc_lang=en

eTick: eTick.ca

AEROH lab: https://aeroh.uoguelph.ca/

Freshly back from the United Nations General Assembly High Level Meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance, where antimicrobial use targets in animals were a key topic, Dr. Scott Weese provides an overview of the issues around this controversial but important area.
Do we need targets for antibiotic use in animals? What are they meant to do? Why are they controversial? What can do to make them actionable, aspirational and effective?  This quick podcast highlights those important topics.