Outbreak News Radio

There has been a surge in mucormycosis cases, aka the "black fungus", in India.

Why mucormycosis and why India? Is it linked to the COVID-19 pandemic?

Joining me today to look at this topic is Judy Stone, MD. Dr. Stone is an infectious disease specialist and a Senior contributor at Forbes.

The future prevalence and virulence of SARS-CoV-2 is uncertain.

Researchers at the University of Utah try to answer the question--Will SARS-CoV-2 Become Just Another Seasonal Coronavirus? in a new study published in the journal Viruses.

Joining me today to discuss the research and their findings is Fred Adler, PhD. Dr. Adler is professor of mathematics and biological sciences at the University of Utah.

Campylobacteriosis is a disease of worldwide importance, but aspects of its transmission dynamics, particularly risk factors, are still poorly understood.

Researchers at the OU Hudson College of Public Health and in Denmark confirm that one of the most common foodborne illnesses in the Western world, can also be spread through sexual contact and their study is published in the journal, Emerging Infectious Diseases.

Joining me today to discuss Campylobacter and the research is infectious disease epidemiologist Katrin Kuhn, Ph.D. Dr. Kuhn is an assistant professor in the Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology in the OU Hudson College of Public Health.

The restrictions put in place and the resulting social isolation from the COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on children's mental and behavioral health.

Joining me today to take a look at Children's Mental Health during the Pandemic is Dr. Mamilda Robinson. Dr. Robinson is a specialty director and clinical instructor of psychiatric-mental health at Rutgers School of Nursing.

With the nation focused on the delivery of a COVID vaccine, the CDC wants to ensure that older individuals are protected against other prevalent yet preventable diseases that can lead to severe health complications and even hospitalization. Vaccine demand declined an average of more than 60 percent across adult vaccines during the height of pandemic.

One of those adult vaccines is Shingrix for the prevention of shingles.

Joining me today to talk about shingles and the Shingrix vaccine is Dr. Leonard Friedland. Dr. Friedland is Vice President, Director Scientific Affairs and Public Health at GSK Vaccines and a physician.

The Carter Center announced this week that the number of Guinea worm disease cases dropped by 50% in 2020 compared to 2019. This includes a dramatic decrease in cases in the country of Chad.

What's more, this happened despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This is all great news and the parasitic disease seems primed to become the second human infectious disease to become eradicated.

Joining me today to look at Guinea worm disease and the successes of 2020 is Adam Weiss, MPH. Adam is the director of the Carter Center's Guinea Worm Eradication Program.

As the country tries to open up during this pandemic, a variety of methods are being employed to keep people safe.

Dogs are slated to be used at Miami Heat games to screen people for COVID, similar to how dogs have been used to smell out explosives or drugs.

How effective is this method and is it something that more companies should look into?

Joining me to today discuss the use of dogs to screen for COVID-19 is Dr. Brittany Busse. Dr. Busse is the Associate Medical Director at WorkCare and a Mental Health Expert.

In this podcast, I briefly go over 20 mosquito-borne diseases. In this not all inclusive list, I discuss a range of diseases to include malaria, yellow fever, dengue fever and more of the most common diseases, but also emerging pathogens that are transmitted by the mosquito vector like Mayaro and Madariaga viruses.