Outbreak News Radio

A mosquito-borne parasitic disease, lymphatic filariasis is one of nearly two dozen neglected tropical diseases.  Infection is usually acquired in childhood and causes hidden damage to the lymphatic system. The painful and profoundly disfiguring visible manifestations of the disease, notably lymphoedema, elephantiasis and scrotal swelling, occur later in life and lead to permanent disability. In some exciting […]

A mosquito-borne parasitic disease, lymphatic filariasis is one of nearly two dozen neglected tropical diseases.

Infection is usually acquired in childhood and causes hidden damage to the lymphatic system. The painful and profoundly disfiguring visible manifestations of the disease, notably lymphoedema, elephantiasis and scrotal swelling, occur later in life and lead to permanent disability.

In some exciting news out of Vietnam and the islands of Palau and Wallis and Futuna, the World Health Organization announced they had eliminated lymphatic filariasis as a public health problem.

Joining me today to talk about lymphatic filariasis and the success in Vietnam is Senior Manager, Neglected Tropical Diseases at RTI International, Molly Brady, MPH.

A hernia is a common medical condition that happens when part of an internal organ or tissue pushes through a weak area of muscle, creating a bulge. It is caused by a combination of muscle weakness and straining, like lifting something heavy. Most hernias occur in the abdomen, between the chest and the hips, and […]

A hernia is a common medical condition that happens when part of an internal organ or tissue pushes through a weak area of muscle, creating a bulge. It is caused by a combination of muscle weakness and straining, like lifting something heavy. Most hernias occur in the abdomen, between the chest and the hips, and they can develop in men, women and children.

How common are hernias? Who's at risk? and is surgery the only way to treat hernias?

Joining me today to talk more about hernias is Abhishek Parmar, MD, Dr. Parmar is assistant professor in the Division of Gastrointestinal Surgery at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

On today's show, I look at some various topics popular in the infectious disease news circles including Acute flaccid myelitis (AFM). This story has dominated the news this cycle ever since the cases out of Minnesota were reported.

Since then, cases from Texas, New York, Washington, Colorado and others have made the headlines.

Earlier this week, I spoke to CIDRAP director Mike Osterholm, PhD about AFM and the situation in Minnesota.

I also look at the resurgence of cholera in Yemen and the status of the National Bio- and Agro-defense Facility in Manhattan, Kansas.

It's always great to report on successes we have in the battle against infectious diseases and I could report on one out of Vietnam.

In the second half, I look at the WHO announcement that Vietnam and the Pacific islands of Palau and Wallis and Futuna eliminated lymphatic filariasis as a public health problem.

I also introduce you to an article from The Hill by Amesh Adalja, MD on ricin, in light of the recent attacks.

The Outbreak News This Week Radio Show, the first and only radio program dedicated to infectious disease and health news and information, airs every Sunday at 1 pm ET in the Tampa Bay area on AM 1380 The Biz and online at http://1380thebiz.com/

Balamuthia mandrillarisis a free-living ameba that can cause a serious encephalitis infection of the brain. It is thought to enter the body when soil containing Balamuthia comes in contact with skin wounds and cuts, or when dust containing Balamuthia is breathed in or gets in the mouth.

More than 200 cases of Balamuthia infection have been diagnosed worldwide and according to a recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study, there has been 109 case reports of Balamuthia disease between 1974 and 2016 in the US.

A unique Balamuthia case reported in a manuscript to be published in the journal, International Journal of Infectious Diseases documents a case of the parasitic infection linked to nasal irrigation.

Joining me of the show is senior author of the report, Charles Cobbs, MD. Dr Cobbs is the director of the Ivy Center for Advanced Brain Tumor Treatment at the Swedish Neuroscience Institute in Seattle.

Minnesota state health officials reported recently on a number of acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) cases in children that occurred in the past month.

What is acute flaccid myelitis and what is the situation in Minnesota?

Joining me today to discuss this important topic is Michael Osterholm, PhD, MPH. Dr Osterholm is the Director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, or CIDRAP at the University of Minnesota.

A new study led by a Tulane University researcher and recently published in the journal, Lancet Infectious Diseases, could change the way doctors treat the common, sexually transmitted parasite, Trichomonas vaginalis.

Joining me today to talk about trichomoniasis and the new study is the lead author, infectious disease epidemiologist at the Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine , Dr. Patricia Kissinger.

It was a huge news week in infectious disease and we cover some of the biggest stories here on the show today.

I go over the odd report on a father-to-son HIV transmission in a very atypical way. The study was published in the journal, AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses.

Another unusual report came from researchers from the University of Hong Kong, who for the first time, reported rat Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection in a human being. This "wake up call" reminds us of the continuous threat of zoonotic infections.

A 29-year-old New Jersey man died from the "brain-eating amoeba", Naegleria fowleri, reportedly linked to a Waco, TX wave pool.

In the second half, I go over some health policy and a fantastic article by economist John C. Goodman of some free market alternatives for health care that employers should consider.

I also play an audio clip of a conversation I had with Surgery Center of Oklahoma CEO, Keith Smith, MD on my obscenely overpriced hospital surgery bill.

South Africa just came out of a massive Listeria outbreak that sickened more than 1000 and killed more than 200. Associate Professor, Infectious Disease and International Medicine, USF Health, Sandra Gompf, MD joined me recently to discuss Listeria in this short podcast–who’s most at risk, the pathology, common sources of the bacterium and treatment. Gompf’s […]