Outbreak News Radio

The biotech company, Valneva announced this month about the promising work and progress on two vaccine candidates--the mosquito borne virus, chikungunya and Lyme disease. On today's show I am joined by Valneva President and CEO, Thomas Lingelbach to discuss the latest on these vaccine candidates.

On the final show of the year, I do my annual year in review with a look at the top 10 most important infectious disease news stories of the year, in my opinion of course. In addition, I unveil the top podcast of 2018 from Outbreak News Interviews (as far as downloads) and the top post of the year. Thanks for making it a great year on the website, podcast and radio show and I hope to continue stro...

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs)– a diverse group of communicable diseases that prevail in tropical and subtropical conditions in 149 countries – affect more than one billion people and cost developing economies billions of dollars every year. Populations living in poverty, without adequate sanitation and in close contact with infectious vectors...

The Federal Tick-borne Disease Working Group recently released their first report to Congress about one year after the panel first convened. The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) responded to the report in a letter that contained some criticisms of the report. What is the Federal Tick-borne Disease Working Group, what's in the report and what did the IDSA have to say? Joining me to dis...

Lyme disease is the most common vector borne-disease in the United States with approximately 300,000 cases reported annually. It is caused by the spirochetal organism Borrelia burgdorferi. While the majority of the Lyme disease patients can be cured with 2–4 weeks antibiotic treatment, about 10–20% of patients continue to suffer from persisting symptoms. My guest today is the lead author of a stud...

On today's show, I look at a recent study from the Journal of Wildlife Management that looks at the population estimates and management options for introduced rhesus macaques in Florida. When you talk about rhesus macaques, that invariably leads into discussion about the dangerous virus for humans that get infected, herpes B. I spend a little time on herpes B--the pathology and what to do if you'r...

Schistosomiasis, which is caused by parasitic flatworms, affects nearly 210 million people worldwide, primarily in Africa, Asia, and South America, and is responsible for about 200,000 deaths each year, according to the World Health Organization. A research team from Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) and several international organizations looked at tea infusions made from two species of the w...

On today's show I look at the ins and outs of Medicare for All, a single payer, government health insurance program popularized most recently by Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and now a number of new progressives recently elected are carrying the mantle with Sanders. I discuss what the program is designed to cover (which is essentially everything), Sanders estimates for annual costs compared to th...

Enteroviruses are the cause of a number of infections including hand, foot and mouth disease, the common cold and most recently, the condition called Acute flaccid myelitis or AFM. What are enteroviruses, particularly enterovirus D68, what do we know about them and what research is being done? Joining me to answer these questions about enteroviruses and more Vincent Racaniello, PhD, Dr Racaniello...

On today's show I look at two topics that are big--one in Africa and one here in the United States--and that's the Ebola outbreak in the North Kivu region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the large hepatitis A outbreak in a number of states. The Outbreak News This Week Radio Show, the first and only radio program dedicated to infectious disease and health news and information, airs ever...

On today's show I look at two topics that are big--one in Africa and one here in the United States--and that's the Ebola outbreak in the North Kivu region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the large hepatitis A outbreak in a number of states. The Outbreak News This Week Radio Show, the first and only radio program dedicated to infectious disease and health news and information, airs ever...

News of North Carolina's largest chickenpox outbreak since the vaccine was available 23 years ago was reported in an Asheville school, which has grabbed a lot of attention recently. Closer to home, a chickenpox outbreak has been reported in a Polk County, Fl school where a half dozen children were infected. The common denominator among the cases is not being vaccinated. Joining me to talk about ch...

The Food and Drug Administration and the Texas Department of Health recently issued health alerts after four infants were hospitalized with botulism after using pacifiers containing honey. While essentially rare worldwide, ninety percent of the world's cases of infant botulism are diagnosed in the United States, mainly because of physician awareness. So what is infant botulism and why should infan...

On this Thanksgiving holiday weekend, I put together a show on two of the most important and interesting topics in medical history--the 1918 influenza pandemic and the yellow fever outbreak in the United States in the 18th and 19th centuries. These are older; however, very informative interviews. To discuss the 1918 influenza pandemic is historian and author of the book, The Great Influenza: The S...

The Outbreak News This Week Radio Show is prerecorded every Thursday and airs Sundays at 1 pm ET in the Tampa Bay area and worldwide streaming. I don't typically put out the podcast of the show until after the show airs; however, I wanted for people to hear this particular show ahead of time. I was honored to have an in-studio guest this week who had a deeply heartfelt story to tell, which resulte...

Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders has been the most outspoken advocate for a single payer health care system in the US, or a "Medicare for all" system. In fact, he is frequently citing the Canadian system as one to emulate. Straight from his website we learn that Sander's universal single-payer health care means comprehensive coverage for all Americans. Bernie's plan will cover the entire continuum o...

Trachoma is the leading infectious cause of blindness worldwide. This bacterial neglected tropical disease is targeted to be eliminated as a public health problem in 2020. My guest today says in a post in the blog BugBitten that the future looks bright for trachoma elimination. Joining me to discuss trachoma , the elimination strategy and the successes we've already seen is Cara MacFarlane, PhD, D...

Measles, measles and more measles. On today's show, I look at the measles situation here in the states and in Israel and Asia. I also look at a paper that demonstrates the importance of herd immunity. I play part of an older interview with an infection preventionist on measles. I look at some local hepatitis A news, a important Washington Post story on Ebola and the Australian man who died 8 years...

African swine fever, or ASF, appeared for the first time in China over the summer and since that time, more than 50 outbreaks of ASF have been reported in domestic pigs in 13 provinces of China. Back in September, the UN warned at the time that the swine fever situation was "just the tip of the iceburg". In addition, some European countries are reporting ASF in pigs and wild boars. What is African...

African swine fever, or ASF, appeared for the first time in China over the summer and since that time, more than 50 outbreaks of ASF have been reported in domestic pigs in 13 provinces of China. Back in September, the UN warned at the time that the swine fever situation was "just the tip of the iceburg". In addition, some European countries are reporting ASF in pigs and wild boars. What is African...

Crazy things in the media this week, and it's not politics--that's one of the major things I look at on the show today--anti-vaxx article being pulled and the massive Twitter backlash, fear mongering, buffoonish statements concerning infectious diseases crossing the US-Mexico border and warnings not to dress up your chickens for Halloween. In addition, I look at some dengue vaccine news, malaria's...

A rehab facility in Haskell NJ has been in the news cycle for the past week as they deal with an adenovirus outbreak. To date, 26 cases have been reported, primarily pediatric patients and nine have died. What is adenovirus and why the high percentage of deaths in this outbreak? Joining me to answer these questions is Amesh Adalja, MD. Dr Adalja is a Senior Scholar at the Johns Hopkins University...

I recently read a report from India about miners in certain areas of the country coming down with a condition called silicosis. Demand from India's booming construction industry for granite, sandstone and other minerals has seen the commissioning of more and more stone quarries and people to work in the quarries. What is silicosis and how common is it here in the United States? Joining me today to...

On today's show, I look at a wide range of important infectious disease news to include hepatitis A and the current situation in Florida and Pinellas County in particular. In addition, I look at the deadly adenovirus outbreak in a New Jersey rehab facility. With Halloween just a few days away, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warns of the health risks of novelty contact lenses...

On today's show I spend a lot of time looking at the flu shot/flu season in light of the recent pediatric death reported here in Florida. I look at some disturbing trends and beliefs when it comes to flu shots and vaccines in general. Does the flu shot cause the flu? A survey by Orlando Health says half of parents believe this! In addition, a CS Mott study shows that 1 in 25 parents had postponed...