Transmission Interrupted

Andes hantavirus is rare, geographically concentrated, and the only hantavirus currently known to spread person to person. In this episode of Transmission Interrupted , Jill Morgan, Dr. Gaby Frank, and Dr. Gavin Harris discuss how the virus is transmitted and why its incubation period of up to six or eight weeks complicates diagnosis. They also explain the difference between New World hantaviruses...

In this episode of Transmission Interrupted , Jill Morgan joins Dr. Aneesh Mehta, Dr. Jay Varkey, and Dr. Colleen Kraft to remember Dr. Bruce Ribner, a physician, educator, hospital epidemiologist, and mentor whose work shaped biocontainment care at Emory and beyond. The conversation moves from sharp humor and encyclopedic clinical knowledge to the quieter parts of Dr. Ribner’s life: his devotion...

What does effective special pathogen preparedness look like in practice? In this episode, Jill Morgan talks with Darrell Ruby and Jackson Gruber, from NETEC’s Emergency Management workgroup, about the team’s newly updated exercise templates designed to make planning, conducting, and evaluating exercises more manageable. The conversation covers progressive exercise planning, adapting templates to l...

As the current Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda continues to spread — with over 2,000 cases and more than 600 deaths — host Jill Morgan sits down with Dr. Tom Geisbert, a leading virologist and professor at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) in Galveston. Dr. Geisbert has spent decades developing vaccines for some of the world's deadliest pathogens, incl...

. Step inside one of the most unique corners of American healthcare as Transmission Interrupted takes you behind the scenes of the National Quarantine Unit at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and Nebraska Medicine. In this episode, host Jill Morgan is joined by key members of the Nebraska team—Dr. Katie Willet, Morgan Shradar, and Angie Vasa—to explore how preparedness, partnership, and p...

In this episode of Transmission Interrupted, host Jill Morgan and acclaimed author and former paramedic Kevin Hazzard dive into the complex world of outbreak response, biocontainment, and the unsung heroes behind high-stakes medical transports. Drawing from Kevin Hazzard’s latest book, No One’s Coming , they explore the remarkable true story of Phoenix Air Group—the aviation specialists tasked wit...

What happens behind the sealed doors of a biocontainment laboratory when a patient with a suspected special pathogen—like Ebola or Lassa fever—arrives at a hospital? In this episode of Transmission Interrupted, host Jill Morgan is joined by Vicki Herrera, biocontainment laboratory training and education leader at UNMC, and Colleen Kraft, medical and laboratory director of Emory’s Biocontainment Un...

New World screwworm may sound like something from a horror movie, but it’s a real and potentially devastating threat to livestock, wildlife, pets, and even humans. In this episode of Transmission Interrupted , host Jill Morgan explores what healthcare professionals, veterinarians, public health officials, and agricultural partners need to know about recognizing and responding to this destructive p...

In this summer-ready episode of "Transmission Interrupted," host Jill Morgan sits down with Dr. Andi Shane, Division Chief for Pediatric Infectious Disease at Emory and Medical Director of the Special Care Unit at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, to tackle the itchy, the icky, and the often misunderstood risks of summer: bugs, bites, and bathrooms. As families gear up for vacations, outdoor adven...

In this timely episode of Transmission Interrupted, host Jill Morgan sits down with Dr. Alex Isakov, Medical Director of the Emory Grady EMS Biosafety Transport Program, to explore the unique healthcare challenges presented by the 2026 FIFA World Cup. With eleven U.S. cities preparing to welcome visitors from 48 countries, the conversation digs into how the influx of international travelers brings...

In this episode of Transmission Interrupted, host Jill Morgan sits down with Dr. Gaby Frank, internist and director of the Special Pathogens Center at Johns Hopkins, to provide clarity and insight on the current hantavirus outbreak. The conversation kicks off by demystifying essential public health terms like "isolation" and "quarantine," explaining their definitions and uses in the context of inf...

Please note: This episode was recorded before the recent hantavirus outbreak. A forthcoming NETEC podcast episode will provide expert insight into hantavirus transmission, clinical presentation, preparedness considerations, and healthcare worker safety resources. In the meantime, visit NETEC’s hantavirus resource library for current clinical guidance and educational materials: https://ow.ly/Lg3650...

In this episode of Transmission Interrupted , host Jill Morgan of Emory University Hospital sits down with Dr. Laura Evans to discuss how U.S. healthcare systems are preparing for the unique public health challenges surrounding the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup. From heat-related illness and overcrowded emergency departments to infectious disease risks such as measles, influenza, COVID-19, novel in...

In this episode of Transmission Interrupted, host Jill Morgan interviews Dr. Laura Evans, the new executive director of the National Special Pathogen System (NSPS), about her path from critical care leadership at Bellevue to national special pathogen preparedness. Dr. Evans recounts how the 2009 H1N1 pandemic and the 2014 Ebola outbreak shaped her focus on protecting healthcare workers while deliv...

In this episode of Transmission Interrupted , host Jill Morgan leads a compelling conversation with leading experts at the intersection of air transport and high-consequence infectious disease (HCID) care. The panel includes Vance Ferebee, former Medical Division Director and Chief Flight Nurse for Phoenix Air Group; Wade Miles from Emory’s Office of Critical Event Preparedness and Response; Ben T...

How clean is clean? On this episode of Transmission Interrupted, host Jill Morgan dives deep into the crucial topic of infection prevention and terminal cleaning with experts Cassie Prather and Erika Kurili. From debunking myths about how pathogens survive on surfaces, to clarifying the difference between daily cleaning, terminal cleaning, and disinfection, our guests share strategies and best pra...

Welcome to Transmission Interrupted! In this episode, host Jill Morgan sits down with the principal investigators of NETEC—Dr. Aneesh Mehta, Dr. Vikramjit Mukherjee, and Dr. John Lowe—to reflect on a decade of advancing special pathogen preparedness across the U.S. healthcare system. Together, they revisit the origins of NETEC, tracing back to the transformative events of the 2014 Ebola outbreak,...

Welcome to a brand-new episode of Transmission Interrupted. Today, host Jill Morgan welcomes two seasoned experts, Stefanie Lane and Michael Carr, to dive deep into the critical—and often overlooked—interface between hospitals and EMS teams during the transfer of high-consequence infectious disease patients. Whether it’s a suspected case of Ebola, Lassa fever, or MERS, this episode explores the in...

On this episode of Transmission Interrupted , host Jill Morgan is joined by Dr. Steven Bradfute from the University of New Mexico and Dr. Gabby Frank from Johns Hopkins University to shine a light on hantavirus—a pathogen that often lurks on the edges of our collective radar. From mice in cacti to Four Corners outbreaks and the mystery of why some exposures become critical illnesses while others g...

This episode of Transmission Interrupted dives deep into the fascinating world of seasonal special pathogens, exploring the reasons why certain infectious diseases emerge and surge at specific times of year. Host Jill Morgan is joined by Dr. Susan McLellan and Dr. Lindsay Busch, two experts in infectious diseases and biocontainment, for a captivating discussion on Nipah virus and Lassa fever. From...

In this episode of Transmission Interrupted , host Jill Morgan sits down with Abbey Lowe, Associate Professor at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and the lead for the Special Pathogens Research Network (SPRN) Work Group One. Together, they break down the often-overlooked world of clinical research in special pathogens response—demystifying everything from Institutional Review Boards (IRBs...

In this episode of Transmission Interrupted, host Jill Morgan explores the high-stakes world of EMS preparedness with guests Matt Sasser and Alex Isakoff. Get an inside look at what it really takes to be ready for anything—from unexpected emergencies on the road to transporting patients with high-consequence infectious diseases. The team shares real stories, expert insights, and lessons learned fr...

On this episode of Transmission Interrupted, host Jill Morgan sits down with Dr. John Horton, Vice Chair of Clinical Affairs for Gynecology and Obstetrics at Emory, to explore one of the most challenging intersections in healthcare: special pathogens and pregnancy. From emerging threats like Ebola and Marburg to familiar concerns like measles and chickenpox, they dive deep into what makes caring f...

In this special behind-the-scenes episode of Transmission Interrupted , host Jill Morgan gathers the core Education & Training Team from NETEC to pull back the curtain on how they create timely and practical resources for healthcare professionals facing special pathogens. Join Jill, along with Sharon Vanairsdale Carrasco (Director of Education), Benjamin Mattson and Jason Noble (Instructional...

In this important episode of Transmission Interrupted, host Jill Morgan is joined by a distinguished panel of experts to provide a comprehensive update on respiratory illness trends for the 2025 season. Dr. Ryan Maves (infectious diseases and critical care medicine, Wake Forest University), Dr. Kari Simonson (pediatric infectious diseases, University of Nebraska Medical Center), and Dr. John Horto...