Outbreak News Radio

In the highlands of Papua New Guinea in the 1950s and 60s it was noticed that people (mostly women) of the Fore tribe were dying of what was originally thought to be a genetic disorder since it happened among family members.

The disease stole away the affected person's ability to talk, walk and eat and to eventually die a shivering death.

We now know now that was kuru –a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) or prion disease, same as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, mad cow disease in cattle, scrapie in sheep and chronic wasting seen in elk.

Joining me today to talk about the fascinating story of kuru is Chandana Bala. Chandy is the President of Global Insight Advisory Network and writes on the intersection of healthcare and technology. She is also a frequent writer for Gideon Informatics.

People who are regular cannabis users are at an increased risk of experiencing complications after surgery, according to a study by researchers with UTHealth Houston.

The study was published in a recent issue of JAMA Surgery.

Joining me to talk about cannabis use disorder and the findings of the study is Paul Potnuru, MD. Dr Potnuru is the assistant professor in the Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care and Pain Medicine at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston and the first author of the study.

7 locally transmitted malaria cases have been reported in the US (Texas and Florida), a first in quite a few years.

The species of malaria has been identified as Plasmodium vivax, one of 5 plasmodium species that can infect humans.

What is malaria?, what is Plasmodium vivax?, how important is this transmission and how to prevent it?

These and other questions will be posed to my guest today.

Joining me today is Brian Grimberg, PhD. Dr. Grimberg is an Associate Professor, Department of Pathology, at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and a prominent malaria researcher.

Follow the website, Outbreak News Today

For video interviews- Outbreak News TV

Summer vacation is upon us and many Americans will be traveling domestically and internationally.

Travel can unfortunately also be linked to infectious diseases.

My guest today warns the public of five infectious diseases to keep an eye on during summer travel.

Joining me on the show is Luis Ostrosky, MD. Dr. Ostrosky is a professor of medicine and epidemiology and chief of infectious diseases at UTHealth Houston.

The World Health Organization announced last month that The West African country of Benin has eliminated the neglected tropical disease, trachoma as a public health problem.

Benin is the fifth country in WHO's African Region and one of 17 countries in the world to have eliminated trachoma as a public health problem.

Joining me today to talk about trachoma and the achievement in Benin is Stephanie Palmer. Stephanie is the trachoma technical advisor for the global organization, FHI 360.

Watch the interview at Outbreak News TV

Two countries in Africa, on opposite sides of the continent–Equatorial Guinea and Tanzania, have been battling Marburg Virus Disease outbreaks since February and March, respectively.

Marburg has had a fatality rate as high as 88%, but with lessons learned from prior outbreaks and epidemics, those rates are dropping.

My guest today says "Without question, lives are being saved today in Equatorial Guinea and Tanzania and neighboring countries, thanks to lessons we learned during the Ebola outbreak in Western Africa during the 2015-16 epidemic."

Today we look at Marburg virus and techniques employed that have prevented the spread of the disease and saved lives.

Joining me today is Gene Olinger, PhD, Dr Olinger is the Chief Science Advisor for MRIGlobal.

Watch the video version at Outbreak News TV

Cholera is a major public health concern in many parts of the world. We see large numbers today in Africa and South Asia. We've seen massive outbreaks in Haiti and Yemen over the past decade.

Joining me today to talk about cholera and the situation we are in now across the globe is Peter Gilligan, Ph.D, Dr Gilligan is the former Director of the Clinical Microbiology-Immunology Laboratories at the University of North Carolina Hospitals.

Cholera in Times of Chaos

Watch the video version at Outbreak News TV

In a recent paper in the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), authors report U.S. babesiosis incidence significantly increased in northeastern states in the past decade or so.

What is this tickborne parasite, why is it increasing and what are the public health implications of it?

Joining me today to discuss Babesiosis and the new paper is Megan Swanson, MPH, Megan is with the Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria, Center for Global Health at the CDC in Atlanta.

Trends in Reported Babesiosis Cases — United States, 2011–2019

Watch the podcast on YouTube

Atrial fibrillation (AFib) not only causes shortness of breath and palpitations but puts patients at increased risk of stroke. When medication or other treatments fail to relieve symptoms, cardiologists increasingly perform a catheter ablation procedure.

A new study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology shows the procedure is successful in most patients, with few side effects.

Joining me today to talk about AFib, medication treatments, cardiac ablation and the recent study is Peter R. Kowey, MD. Dr Kowey is a professor of medicine and clinical pharmacology at Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University and the William Wikoff Smith Chair in Cardiovascular Research.

In addition, Dr Kowey is the senior author of the study–Initial Findings From the National Cardiovascular Data Registry of Atrial Fibrillation Ablation Procedures

Check out the video podcasts at Outbreak News TV on YouTube

Last month, New Hampshire health officials released a health alert after identifying two locally acquired Echinococcus granulosus cases, the first such cases of the parasitic infection in the state.

Joining me today to discuss the parasite and the situation is Elizabeth Talbot, MD. Dr. Talbot is the New Hampshire Deputy State Epidemiologist, a professor at Dartmouth College and an infectious disease specialist.