Infectious Diseases

Host: Maurice Pickard, MD

Guest: Nancy Berlinger, PhD

Dr. Nancy Berlinger speaks about how an epidemic can alter the standard of care and the perception of the public to these changes. If leadership is not prepared to have the larger community embrace these alterations in ethics, physicians will feel the threat of litigation. Dr. Maurice Pickard hosts.

Host: Maurice Pickard, MD

Guest: Nancy Berlinger, PhD

Dr. Nancy Berlinger, deputy director and research associate at The Hastings Center, an independent, non-profit, non-partisan bioethics research institute, addresses ethical issues that might arise in a pandemic scenario, when resources could be in short supply. As an example, a shortage of ventilators could cause significant problems: how would this impact the role of first responders? Dr. Maurice Pickard hosts.

Host: Bruce Bloom, DDS, JD

Guest: Anthony Fiore, MD

With this year's flu season comes the recommendation from the CDC to extend the age of childhood vaccination past the previous age of 59 months, to 18 years. Why the change, and what are the recommendations based upon? Joining Dr. Bruce Bloom to discuss this year's recommendation is Dr. Anthony Fiore, a vaccination and immunization expert, and medical epidemiologist from the CDC in Atlanta.

Host: Leslie P. Lundt, MD

Guest: Aine Collier, EdD

“A mysterious epidemic, hitherto unknown, which had struck terror into all hearts by the rapidity of its spread, the ravages it made, and the apparent helplessness of the physicians to cure it.” This 16th century writer was discussing syphilis. Author Aine Collier joins host Dr. Leslie Lundt to explore the history of sexually transmitted disease and the early treatments used to combat them.

Host: Gary Kohn, MD

Guest: David Morens, MD

What are the key signs and symptoms of dengue fever? What are its main epidemiological characteristics and how is the disease treated? Dr. David Morens, senior adviser to the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, answers these questions and more as he explores with Dr. Gary Kohn the potential impact of an outbreak of dengue fever in the United States.

Host: Maurice Pickard, MD

Guest: Shelly Batra, MD

Dr. Shelly Batra talks about the reasons she shifted her focus from her private practice as a gynecologist, and a career as a best-selling physician-author and television personality, to fighting tuberculosis in India's urban slums. In India, this disease carries a stigma and, for women, can mean the loss of a job, ostracism from their own family and little hope of being married. Dr. Maurice Pickard hosts.

Host: Maurice Pickard, MD

Guest: Shelly Batra, MD

Dr. Shelly Batra, a gynecologist, author, and the medical director of the nonprofit Operation Asha, talks with host Dr. Maurice Pickard about her organization's fight against tuberculosis among New Delhi's impoverished and marginalized ragpickers in the urban slums of New Delhi, where adequate nutrition and sanitation are nonexistent. The clinic is staffed by paid employees from the same slums, who counsel patients and keep them coming back to continue their treatment. With donated funds, the clinic also offers incentives like blankets, food, and over-the-counter medicines to encourage patients to complete their treatment.

Host: Maurice Pickard, MD

Guest: Shelly Batra, MD

One-third of the world’s tuberculosis cases strike in India, where unfavorable logistics and modest infrastructure often hinder efforts to combat the disease. Operation Asha comprises a series of registered non-profit clinics, managing the coordination of tuberculosis care in some of India’s poorest communities. Dr. Shelly Batra, president of Operation Asha, joins host Dr. Maurice Pickard to discuss their organizational strategies for community-based TB care.

Host: Leslie P. Lundt, MD

Guest: David Kertzer, PhD

We all know that sometimes the answers to today’s problems can be found in the past. Our guest today will take us to 19th century Italy where we will have a glimpse into a dark page of social and medical history. At one time, up to 10% of European men had syphilis – its victims were rumored to include Beethoven, Van Gogh, Baudelaire, Oscar Wilde, Flaubert. But the syphilis epidemic had another side that hasn’t gotten much attention. Dr. David Kertzer of Brown University has written a detailed account of how one Italian woman contracted syphilis from an infant. He joins host Dr. Leslie Lundt to discuss his latest book, “Amalia’s Tale”.

Host: Shira Johnson, MD

Guest: Don Goldmann, MD

Dr. Donald Goldmann from the Institute for Healthcare Improvement answers the challenging questions on Community Acquired MRSA. Could it have been prevented? What do we know about the genotype?