Transmission Interrupted

What happens when the next pandemic emerges from a pathogen we didn't see coming?

On this episode of Transmission Interrupted, Jill Morgan speaks with epidemiologist, researcher, and author Dr. Stephen Morse about the emergence of HIV, the origins of his landmark book Emerging Viruses (1993), and how infectious disease threats continue to surprise us.

Dr. Morse explores how zoonotic transmission, environmental change, globalization, and rapid viral evolution create threats that defy prediction. Drawing on lessons from COVID-19, he discusses what preparedness requires: stronger surveillance, faster action, reliable PPE supplies, better training, and clearer communication.

His message is clear: surveillance matters only when it leads to action. And a lack of imagination and urgency may be among our greatest vulnerabilities.

The conversation closes with practical steps everyone can take to reduce transmission, from hand hygiene and masking to staying up to date on vaccines. Because the next outbreak won’t wait for us to be ready—and neither should we.

Questions or comments for NETEC?

Contact us at [email protected]. Visit Transmission Interrupted on the web.

Guests

Stephen S. Morse, PhD

Professor of Epidemiology at CUMC Dr. Stephen S. Morse's interests focus on epidemiology and risk assessment of infectious diseases (particularly emerging infections, including influenza), and improving disease early warning systems. In 2000, he returned to Columbia after 4 years in government as program manager for Biodefense at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Department of Defense, where he co-directed the Pathogen Countermeasures program and subsequently directed the Advanced Diagnostics program. Before coming to Columbia, he was assistant professor of Virology at The Rockefeller University in New York, and remains an adjunct faculty member. His book, Emerging Viruses (Oxford University Press), was selected by "American Scientist" for its list of "100 Top Science Books of the 20th Century". Dr. Morse was chair and principal organizer of the 1989 NIAID/NIH (National Institutes of Health) Conference on Emerging Viruses, for which he originated the term and concept of emerging viruses/infections; served as a member of the Institute of Medicine/National Academy of Sciences' Committee on Emerging Microbial Threats to Health (and chaired its Task Force on Viruses), and was a contributor to its report, Emerging Infections (1992). He subsequently served on the Steering Committee of the Institute of Medicine's Forum on Microbial Threats, and has served on a number of National Academies of Sciences committees on infectious diseases, biomedical policy, and biotechnology; and as an adviser to numerous government and international organizations. He was the founding chair of ProMED (the nonprofit international Program to Monitor Emerging Diseases) and was an originator of ProMED-mail, an international network inaugurated by ProMED in 1994 for outbreak reporting and disease monitoring using the Internet. He was appointed to the National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity (NSABB) in 2014.

Emory Healthcare, Atlanta, GA Jill Morgan is a registered nurse and a subject matter expert in personal protective equipment (PPE) for NETEC. For 35 years, Jill has been an emergency department and critical care nurse, and now splits her time between education for NETEC and clinical research, most of it centering around infection prevention and personal protective equipment. She is a member of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC), ASTM International, and the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI).

The National Emerging Special Pathogens Training and Education Center’s mission is to set the gold standard for special pathogen preparedness and response across health systems in the U.S., with the goals of driving best practices, closing knowledge gaps, and developing innovative resources. Our vision is a sustainable infrastructure and culture of readiness for managing suspected and confirmed special pathogen incidents across the United States public health and health care delivery systems. For more information, visit NETEC on the web.

Assess and Advance Your Readiness for Special Pathogens with Free, Expert Consulting. NETEC offers free virtual and onsite readiness consulting to help health care facilities and EMS agencies prepare for special pathogen events. Our targeted support services are delivered by experts selected and assigned to each inquiry based on the unique needs of your organization. Have a question? Ask a NETEC expert. For more information, visit NETEC Consulting Services.

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, which can cause hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, and Old World hantaviruses, which are associated with hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome.

The conversation focuses on what clinicians should do when Andes hantavirus is suspected: take a careful exposure history, including exposures from as far back as six weeks, identify and isolate the patient, use appropriate PPE, and begin close supportive and critical care. Dr. Harris reviews PCR and serologic testing, while Dr. Frank emphasizes judicious fluid management and the importance of the three “I’s,”: Identify, Isolate, and Inform. The discussion also covers ribavirin, convalescent plasma, monoclonal antibodies, and other investigational treatments, while underscoring that early optimized critical care remains the intervention most consistently associated with improved outcomes.

Questions or comments for NETEC? Contact us.

Visit Transmission Interrupted on the web.

Maria (Gaby) Frank, MD, FACP, SFHM

Professor of Medicine, PAR, Johns Hopkins University

Director, Johns Hopkins Special Pathogens Center

Dr. Frank is a hospitalist. Professor of Medicine PAR, and the Director of Johns Hopkins’ Special Pathogens Center Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, MD, one of the 13 Regional Emerging Special Pathogen Treatment Centers (RESPTCs). The Johns Hopkins Hospital (JHH) is a premier 1000-bed non-profit academic medical center within the larger Johns Hopkins Health System, one of the leading health care systems in the United States. The 5-hospital health system in the Baltimore-Washington area has 2513 beds (354 intensive care unit beds) and serves approximately 7 million people. JHH provides a full range of clinical services, including specialty care for both adults and pediatric patients. The Johns Hopkins Hospital was ranked number one in the nation by U.S. News & World Report for 22 years of the survey's 30-year history. Before joining Johns Hopkins, Dr. Frank was the Medical Director of the biocontainment unit at Denver Health and Hospital Authority. In her role as the medical director of BCU, she served as the site Principal Investigator for the NIH-sponsored ACTT trial and is actively involved in the National Emerging Special Pathogen Training and Education Center (NETEC) and Special Pathogens Research Network (SPRN). Dr. Frank received her medical diploma from the University of Buenos Aires in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and completed a residency in Internal Medicine and another in Emergency Medicine in Argentina. She immigrated to the U.S. in 2004, where she completed another Internal Medicine Residency at the University of Colorado, joining as faculty after graduation. Her areas of interest include emergent special pathogens and disaster preparedness and response.

Gavin Harris, MD

Assistant Professor of Medicine

Divisions of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine & Infectious Diseases

Emory University

Gavin H. Harris, MD is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Emory University, holding appointments in both critical care medicine and infectious diseases. His professional focus lies in disaster preparedness and biosecurity. He is the Medical Director for the Emory University Serious Communicable Diseases Program Project ECHO and a staff physician of the Emory University Serious Communicable Diseases Unit. Additionally, Dr. Harris is an alumni fellow at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health's Center for Health Security, Emerging Leaders in Biosecurity Initiative (ELBI), as well as faculty with the National Emerging Special Pathogens Training and Education Center (NETEC).

Host

Jill Morgan, RN

Emory Healthcare, Atlanta, GA

Jill Morgan is a registered nurse and a subject matter expert in personal protective equipment (PPE) for NETEC. For 35 years, Jill has been an emergency department and critical care nurse, and now splits her time between education for NETEC and clinical research, most of it centering around infection prevention and personal protective equipment. She is a member of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC), ASTM International, and the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI)

Resources

The National Emerging Special Pathogens Training and Education Center’s mission is to set the gold standard for special pathogen preparedness and response across health systems in the U.S., with the goals of driving best practices, closing knowledge gaps, and developing innovative resources.

Our vision is a sustainable infrastructure and culture of readiness for managing suspected and confirmed special pathogen incidents across the United States public health and health care delivery systems.

For more information, visit NETEC.

Assess and Advance Your Readiness for Special Pathogens with Free, Expert Consulting.

NETEC offers free virtual and onsite readiness consulting to help health care facilities and EMS agencies prepare for special pathogen events. Our targeted support services are delivered by experts selected and assigned to each inquiry based on the unique needs of your organization. Have a question? Ask a NETEC expert.

For more information, visit NETEC Consulting Services.

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 to family, his willingness to protect and guide colleagues, and his commitment to preparedness long before it was tested. His legacy lives in the programs he built, the teams he strengthened, and the principle that doing the right work matters even when no one knows whether it will ever be needed.

Questions or comments for NETEC? Contact us at [email protected].

Visit Transmission Interrupted on the web at netec.org/podcast.

Colleen S. Kraft, MD, MSc, is a Professor in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and the Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, at Emory University School of Medicine. She previously served as Associate Chief Medical Officer of Emory Hospital from 2020–2023 and currently serves as Associate Chief Research Informatics Officer for the Woodruff Health Sciences Center

Dr. Kraft was one of the infectious disease physicians at Emory Hospital in 2014 who cared for patients with Ebola virus disease and Lassa fever. Her work since then has focused in part on high reliability in health care, including human factors, infection prevention, and preparedness for highly contagious infectious diseases. She is a clinical consultant for the Emory Healthcare Human Factors Lab and a director in the Healthcare Test Kitchen Lab. She served as President of the American Society for Microbiology from 2022–2023.

Aneesh Mehta is a Professor of Medicine and of Surgery at Emory University School of Medicine, and also serves as the Chief of Infectious Diseases Services and Assistant Director of Transplant Infectious Diseases at Emory University Hospital. He is a board-certified infectious diseases physician, who received an MD from the University of Oklahoma and completed Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases training at Emory University.

Aneesh has been one of the core physicians of the Emory Serious Communicable Diseases Unit (SCDU) since 2009. He was admitted physician for Emory’s first patient with Ebola Virus Disease and was highly involved in care of the four patients with EVD, one patient with Lassa Fever, and several PUIs cared for by the Emory SCDU. During the Ebola activation, Aneesh was involved in all aspects of unit management, patient care, laboratory handling, and research.

Aneesh is a co-Principal Investigator at NETEC. He has also been involved in the development of the Special Pathogens Research Network Biorepository and evaluation of Medical Countermeasures.

Jay Varkey, MD received his BA from Marquette University and an AOA graduate of the Medical College of Wisconsin. He completed his residency in Internal Medicine and Fellowship in Infectious Diseases at Duke University Medical Center, where he was a member of the Antimicrobial Evaluation Team and the Infection Control and Epidemiology Committee.

He was recruited to Emory University in 2009 to become the Director of the Antimicrobial Management Program and Associate Hospital Epidemiologist at Emory University Hospital (EUH). He also serves as the Co-Director of the Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Treatment Clinic at Emory and as the Hospital Epidemiologist at the Wesley Woods Geriatric Hospital of Emory University.

Dr. Varkey currently serves on numerous institutional committees including the Department of Medicine Quality Council, the Department of Surgery Wound Infection Group, the Clinical Effectiveness Septicemia Design Team, and the Infectious Diseases Fellowship Program Admissions Committee.

Dr. Varkey was the recipient of the Department of Medicine Quality Achievement Award in 2012. He is a member of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America and the American Society of Transplantation, Infectious Diseases Community of Practice.

Jill Morgan is a registered nurse and a subject matter expert in personal protective equipment (PPE) for NETEC. For 35 years, Jill has been an emergency department and critical care nurse, and now splits her time between education for NETEC and clinical research, most of it centering around infection prevention and personal protective equipment. She is a member of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC), ASTM International, and the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI)

The National Emerging Special Pathogens Training and Education Center’s mission is to set the gold standard for special pathogen preparedness and response across health systems in the U.S. with the goals of driving best practices, closing knowledge gaps, and developing innovative resources.

Our vision is a sustainable infrastructure and culture of readiness for managing suspected and confirmed special pathogen incidents across the United States public health and health care delivery systems.

For more information, visit NETEC on the web at www.netec.org.

Assess and Advance Your Readiness for Special Pathogens with Free, Expert Consulting.

NETEC offers free virtual and onsite readiness consulting to help health care facilities and EMS agencies prepare for special pathogen events. Our targeted support services are delivered by experts selected and assigned to each inquiry based on the unique needs of your organization. Have a question? Ask a NETEC expert.

For more information, visit: netec.org/consulting-services.

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 local risks, testing communication across every shift, and using small drills to uncover gaps before an incident occurs. Darrrell and Jackson explain how facilities can start with focused objectives, build stronger partnerships, and turn after-action findings into practical improvements, whether they’re preparing for a viral hemorrhagic fever, measles, an MCI, or another high-consequence event. Tune in to hear more about NETEC’s exercise templates and discover how small, practical drills can expose the gaps that matter to your facility’s preparedness.

Questions or comments for NETEC? Contact us at [email protected].

Visit Transmission Interrupted on the web at netec.org/podcast.

Guests

Regional Special Pathogens Program Coordinator

Nebraska Medicine

Jackson Gruber serves as the regional special pathogens program coordinator at Nebraska Medicine, with coordination and operational accountability for the Regional Emerging Special Pathogens Treatment Center (RESPTC) and the National Quarantine Unit (NQU). In these roles, he coordinates the logistics for multiple grants, develops policy and procedures for the National Quarantine Unit, and facilitates training and exercises for these units, as well as the partners within the Region VII Health Responses Ecosystem. Jackson holds a Bachelor of Science in emergency management from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Regional Coordinator

Special Pathogen Program/Region 10 Emerging Special Pathogen Treatment Center (RESPTC)

Providence Inland Northwest Washington

Darrell Ruby is the Regional Coordinator for the HHS Region 10 Emerging Special Pathogen Treatment Center (RESPTC), 1 of 13 in the nation, at Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center and Children’s Hospital. Darrell has worked as an Emergency Manager for nearly 20 years at the local, regional, and state level while he was with Spokane Emergency Management and for the last 8 years at Providence. As an Emergency Manager for Providence Inland Northwest Washington, he was responsible for the Emergency Management Program for the five (5) Providence hospitals in Spokane and Stevens County that represent just over 1,000 licensed beds: a level 2 and 3 trauma center for adults and pediatrics, two 25-bed Critical Access Hospitals (CAH), a specialty rehab facility, and a stand-alone Ambulatory Surgery Center. He started working for Providence in September 2015. Prior to working at Providence, Darrell worked for the Spokane Department of Emergency Management for 11 years, as the Regional Coordinator for Washington State Homeland Security (HLS) Region 9 (6 years) and as a Program Coordinator (5 years). Region 9 is comprised of the 10 counties and three tribes of Eastern Washington. In that role, he supported regional collaboration, coordination, and an interagency approach to all-hazard emergency preparedness. He has worked in all phases of emergency management, supporting planning, training, and exercises, HLS grants, and grant-related projects. Darrell continues to support community-wide planning on behalf of Providence. Darrell has an undergraduate degree in Construction Science from Texas A&M University, a master’s degree in business, and retired from the Naval Reserve as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal Officer on December 1, 2015 (12 years active, 13 years reserve). He is most proud to be happily married (30+ years) and the father of three kids +1 (married daughter).

Host

Emory Healthcare, Atlanta, GA

Jill Morgan is a registered nurse and a subject matter expert in personal protective equipment (PPE) for NETEC. For 35 years, Jill has been an emergency department and critical care nurse, and now splits her time between education for NETEC and clinical research, most of it centering around infection prevention and personal protective equipment. She is a member of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC), ASTM International, and the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI)

Resources

About NETEC

The National Emerging Special Pathogens Training and Education Center’s mission is to set the gold standard for special pathogen preparedness and response across health systems in the U.S. with the goals of driving best practices, closing knowledge gaps, and developing innovative resources.

Our vision is a sustainable infrastructure and culture of readiness for managing suspected and confirmed special pathogen incidents across the United States public health and health care delivery systems.

For more information, visit NETEC on the web at www.netec.org.

Assess and Advance Your Readiness for Special Pathogens with Free, Expert Consulting.

NETEC offers free virtual and onsite readiness consulting to help health care facilities and EMS agencies prepare for special pathogen events. Our targeted support services are delivered by experts selected and assigned to each inquiry based on the unique needs of your organization. Have a question? Ask a NETEC expert.

For more information, visit: netec.org/consulting-services.

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, including the vaccine that became Ervebo, the first licensed Ebola vaccine. In this episode, he explains why a vaccine that works against one Ebola species — like the current outbreak's Bundibugyo strain — doesn't necessarily protect against another, and why a promising Bundibugyo vaccine developed over a decade ago has been sitting on the shelf for lack of funding and market interest.

Jill and Dr. Geisbert break down the science behind mRNA and viral-vector (VSV-based) vaccine platforms, weighing their tradeoffs in speed, durability, and manufacturing complexity — and discuss why fast-acting, single-dose protection matters so much in outbreak response and ring vaccination strategies.

The conversation also turns to other high-consequence pathogens on Dr. Geisbert's radar, including Nipah virus, and to the bigger picture: what true pandemic preparedness would look like, from broad-spectrum antivirals to multivalent vaccines, and why investing in the next generation of scientists is critical to staying ahead of the next outbreak

Questions or comments for NETEC? Contact us.

Visit Transmission Interrupted on the web.

Professor, Department of Microbiology & Immunology

University of Texas Medical Branch – Galveston, Texas, USA

Dr. Geisbert is currently a Professor in the Department of Microbiology & Immunology at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. He has considerable experience conducting experiments utilizing NHPs in high biocontainment, with over 29 years’ BSL-4 experience at USAMRIID and at the GNL. He has experience managing large research programs, including a current U19 Center of Excellence for Translational Research grant. His research interests have focused on the study of hemorrhagic fever viruses and he has published extensively in this area. His research group was the first to demonstrate complete protection of NHPs against both Ebola and Marburg viruses and Lassa virus using a novel vaccine based on recombinant VSV. More recently, they demonstrated that this vaccine is capable of providing postexposure protection against filoviruses in NHPs. His group also performed the first studies to show complete postexposure protection of NHPs against the Zaire species of Ebola virus using a novel siRNA-based strategy. In addition, he has extensive experience in developing and refining appropriate animal models that mimic human disease, including the NHP model used in this project.

Host

Jill Morgan, RN

Emory Healthcare, Atlanta, GA

Jill Morgan is a registered nurse and a subject matter expert in personal protective equipment (PPE) for NETEC. For 35 years, Jill has been an emergency department and critical care nurse, and now splits her time between education for NETEC and clinical research, most of it centering around infection prevention and personal protective equipment. She is a member of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC), ASTM International, and the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI)

The National Emerging Special Pathogens Training and Education Center’s mission is to set the gold standard for special pathogen preparedness and response across health systems in the U.S. with the goals of driving best practices, closing knowledge gaps, and developing innovative resources.

Our vision is a sustainable infrastructure and culture of readiness for managing suspected and confirmed special pathogen incidents across the United States public health and health care delivery systems.

For more information, visit NETEC on the web.

Assess and Advance Your Readiness for Special Pathogens with Free, Expert Consulting.

NETEC offers free virtual and onsite readiness consulting to help health care facilities and EMS agencies prepare for special pathogen events. Our targeted support services are delivered by experts selected and assigned to each inquiry based on the unique needs of your organization. Have a question? Ask a NETEC expert.

For more information, visit NETEC Consulting Services.

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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 people form the backbone of the nation’s only dedicated quarantine unit. Listeners will discover the origin story of this 20-bed unit, why it’s different from both home quarantine and traditional hospital isolation, and how its creation was driven by real-world lessons from recent public health emergencies like the Ebola outbreak and COVID-19 pandemic.

From the practical logistics of care (think twice-daily health checks, concierge-level support, and even laundry service) to the psychological challenges of isolation and the intricacies of national and global collaboration, this episode sheds light on the critical thinking and teamwork required to protect both individuals and the community during high-stakes contagious threats. Hear firsthand how the UNMC and Nebraska Medicine team adapts with each new pathogen, leans on the strength of their Omaha community, and continuously trains to stay a step ahead of the next big infectious risk—demonstrating “Nebraska nice” even in the toughest circumstances.

Questions or comments for NETEC? Contact us at [email protected].

Visit Transmission Interrupted on the web at netec.org/podcast.

Morgan Shradar, RN, BSN, MPH

Nursing Professional Development Specialist- Nebraska Biocontainment Unit

Co-Director- National Disaster Medical Disaster Infectious Disease Training Program

Subject Matter Expert NETEC & Task 2 Lead - NICS

Morgan Shradar has more than 20 years of experience in the operating room and more than 14 years of experience with the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit. She has previous experience as a lead surgical nurse where she managed procedural areas (endoscopy, surgery, cardiac cath lab/interventional radiology, preop/pacu, and sterile processing). She has also managed process improvement initiatives for supply chain improvements and patient experience within procedural areas at Nebraska Medicine Bellevue. Morgan is a nurse coordinator with the Regional Emerging Special Pathogens Treatment Center (RESPTC). She develops and leads the education and training for the RESPTC team, including education meetings, quarterly trainings, exercises, and drill development. Morgan collaborates on the education and training and policy development for the National Quarantine Unit. She actively participated in the repatriation efforts of guests from Wuhan, China, and the Diamond Princess, who required care for COVID-19. Further, she is a subject matter expert with NETEC and partners with others to evaluate readiness for RESPTCs and works with long-term care focus groups to develop education and just-in-time resources to enhance LTC setting readiness. In 2020/2021, she partnered with LTC and skilled nursing facilities on evaluating the current COVID-19 infection control practices within facilities across Nebraska. She has also partnered with Nebraska Medicine to educate and train medical teams on donning/doffing PAPRs and worked with procedural areas on developing their PAPR protocols. Morgan is a task lead with NICS, which is focused on developing XR/AR education for the small and rural hospital on infection control practices within the sterile processing department. She is also the co-director of the National Disaster Medical Response Infectious Disease Training program, which has focused on educating and training the NDMS teams on infection control practices to ready them for deployment to both austere and hospital missions. Morgan collaborates in program development and partnerships with various organizations focused on infectious disease education and training. Morgan began her career in 2000 as an operating room nurse for Nebraska Medicine, where she joined the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit team in 2009 to play an integral role in treating patients with Ebola Virus Disease during the 2014-2015 activation.

Dr. Katie Willet, MD, FACEP

Associate Professor, UNMC Department of Emergency Medicine

Associate Program Director, UNMC Department of Emergency Medicine

Health Security Fellowship Director, UNMC Department of Emergency Medicine

Katie Willet, MD (she/her/hers), is an assistant professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine. She is one of the residency assistant program directors and takes part in the development of disaster preparedness and biopreparedness training for residents and other multidisciplinary trainees, both within UNMC and our external partners. She has interests in austere/wilderness medicine, disaster medicine, and biopreparedness. She also serves as the health security fellowship program director and co-creator with several partners within the Global Center for Health Security. With this, she takes part in preparedness planning, training development, and response. Similarly, she is involved with several different research and training projects with the Global Center for Health Security as well as teaching regionally about disaster preparedness. She is an assistant medical director for the National Quarantine Unit and a health security scholar with the Global Center for Health Security.

Angie Vasa, MSN, RN

Director, Readiness Consultations and Metrics Development, NETEC

Director, Emergency Preparedness and Special Pathogen Programs, Nebraska Medicine

Program Director, Region VII Regional Emerging Special Pathogen Treatment Center

Angela Vasa, MSN, RN, is the Director of Emergency Preparedness and Special Pathogen Programs at Nebraska Medicine. She serves as the Director of Consulting Services and Metrics Development at NETEC and is the Program Director for the Region VII Regional Emerging Special Pathogen Treatment Center. Angela is also a scholar in the Global Center for Health Security at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Her nursing background includes over a decade of clinical experience with specialized expertise in the areas of trauma, critical care, solid organ transplant, and high-consequence infectious diseases. She joined the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit team in 2009, where she has cared for patients with Ebola virus disease and Lassa Fever and continues to be an active clinical member while serving as the program director.

Emory Healthcare, Atlanta, GA

Jill Morgan is a registered nurse and a subject matter expert in personal protective equipment (PPE) for NETEC. For 35 years, Jill has been an emergency department and critical care nurse, and now splits her time between education for NETEC and clinical research, most of it centering around infection prevention and personal protective equipment. She is a member of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC), ASTM International, and the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI)

The National Emerging Special Pathogens Training and Education Center’s mission is to set the gold standard for special pathogen preparedness and response across health systems in the U.S. with the goals of driving best practices, closing knowledge gaps, and developing innovative resources.

Our vision is a sustainable infrastructure and culture of readiness for managing suspected and confirmed special pathogen incidents across the United States public health and health care delivery systems.

For more information, visit NETEC on the web.

Assess and Advance Your Readiness for Special Pathogens with Free, Expert Consulting.

NETEC offers free virtual and onsite readiness consulting to help health care facilities and EMS agencies prepare for special pathogen events. Our targeted support services are delivered by experts selected and assigned to each inquiry based on the unique needs of your organization. Have a question? Ask a NETEC expert.

For more information, visit NETEC Consultation Services.

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 with transporting Ebola patients during the 2014 outbreak—and how lessons won and lost from that crisis shape our approach to preparedness today.

From cowboy ingenuity in aviation to the realities faced by frontline healthcare workers, this episode examines not just medical technology, but the human spirit driving innovative, lifesaving actions in times of global emergency. Whether you’re a medical professional, an aspiring responder, or simply curious about what it takes to face down a pandemic, join us as we discuss how everyday people—by saying yes and figuring it out—make a difference when no one else is coming.

Questions or comments for NETEC? Contact us at [email protected].

Visit Transmission Interrupted on the web at netec.org/podcast.

Guest

Kevin Hazzard

Kevin Hazzard is a journalist, TV writer, and former paramedic. He is the author of A Thousand Naked Strangers and American Sirens: The Incredible Story of the Black Men Who Became America's First Paramedics. He now writes for film/TV, with work produced by Hulu, CBS, ABC, and Universal.

Emory Healthcare, Atlanta, GA

Jill Morgan is a registered nurse and a subject matter expert in personal protective equipment (PPE) for NETEC. For 35 years, Jill has been an emergency department and critical care nurse, and now splits her time between education for NETEC and clinical research, most of it centering around infection prevention and personal protective equipment. She is a member of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC), ASTM International, and the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI)

The National Emerging Special Pathogens Training and Education Center’s mission is to set the gold standard for special pathogen preparedness and response across health systems in the U.S. with the goals of driving best practices, closing knowledge gaps, and developing innovative resources.

Our vision is a sustainable infrastructure and culture of readiness for managing suspected and confirmed special pathogen incidents across the United States public health and health care delivery systems.

For more information, visit NETEC on the web.

Assess and Advance Your Readiness for Special Pathogens with Free, Expert Consulting.

NETEC offers free virtual and onsite readiness consulting to help health care facilities and EMS agencies prepare for special pathogen events. Our targeted support services are delivered by experts selected and assigned to each inquiry based on the unique needs of your organization. Have a question? Ask a NETEC expert.

For more information, visit: netec.org/consulting-services.

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 Unit. Together, they break down the critical question: what are “basic labs,” and how can frontline healthcare facilities prepare to deliver essential diagnostics safely during a special pathogen event?

Listen in as Jill, Vicki, and Colleen demystify the realities of emergency lab testing, exploring the tension between the rapid results clinicians want and the vital safety measures laboratorians must uphold. They discuss point-of-care devices, the nuances of risk assessments, and the keys to interdepartmental communication that ensure both effective patient care and laboratory safety. Whether you’re a bedside nurse, an ED provider, or a laboratorian, this candid, practical conversation will help you understand how healthcare teams can work together to deliver safe and swift care—even in the face of emerging infectious threats.

Questions or comments for NETEC? Contact us at [email protected].

Visit Transmission Interrupted on the web at netec.org/podcast.

Research Coordinator

University of Nebraska Medical Center

Vicki Hererra is a Research Coordinator at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in the field of infectious diseases and bioaerosols. She has supported the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit for the past 16 years and currently supports both NETEC and the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit Laboratory by providing education and training to laboratory staff. She is also a co-lead of NETEC's Laboratory Working Group.

Professor, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Professor, Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine

Emory University School of Medicine

Colleen S. Kraft, MD, MSc, is a Professor in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine as well as a Professor in the Department of Medicine Division of Infectious Diseases at Emory University School of Medicine. Dr. Kraft was the Associate Chief Medical Officer of Emory Hospital from 2020-2023 and is currently the Associate Chief Research Informatics Officer for the Woodruff Health Sciences Center. Dr. Kraft served as the President-Elect, President and Past President of the American Society for Microbiology from 2021-2024. Dr. Kraft was one of the infectious disease physicians at Emory Hospital in 2014 to receive and care for patients who had contracted Ebola virus disease and Lassa fever in West Africa. Dr. Kraft is a clinical consultant for the Emory Healthcare Human Factors Lab, and a director in the Healthcare Test Kitchen Lab, both of which were in response to the desire for high reliability after the care of patients with highly contagious infectious diseases.

Emory Healthcare, Atlanta, GA

Jill Morgan is a registered nurse and a subject matter expert in personal protective equipment (PPE) for NETEC. For 35 years, Jill has been an emergency department and critical care nurse, and now splits her time between education for NETEC and clinical research, most of it centering around infection prevention and personal protective equipment. She is a member of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC), ASTM International, and the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI)

The National Emerging Special Pathogens Training and Education Center’s mission is to set the gold standard for special pathogen preparedness and response across health systems in the U.S. with the goals of driving best practices, closing knowledge gaps, and developing innovative resources.

Our vision is a sustainable infrastructure and culture of readiness for managing suspected and confirmed special pathogen incidents across the United States public health and health care delivery systems.

For more information, visit NETEC on the web.

Assess and Advance Your Readiness for Special Pathogens with Free, Expert Consulting.

NETEC offers free virtual and on-site readiness consulting to help health care facilities and EMS agencies prepare for special pathogen events. Our targeted support services are delivered by experts selected and assigned to each inquiry based on the unique needs of your organization. Have a question? Ask a NETEC expert.

For more information, visit NETEC Consulting Services.

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 parasite.

Hazardous waste expert Ashley Perry explains why proper handling and disposal of waste containing screwworm larvae or eggs is essential to protecting both public health and the environment. She shares practical guidance on safely containing, preserving, and disposing of specimens while navigating regulatory requirements.

In the second half of the episode, Shawn Gibbs, dean of the Texas A&M School of Public Health, discusses the broader public health and agricultural implications of screwworm infestations. From the historic U.S.-Mexico sterile fly eradication program to the ongoing challenges facing ranchers, veterinarians, and emergency responders, the conversation highlights the importance of surveillance, state extension services, and a One Health approach to preventing future outbreaks.

Whether you’re caring for patients, protecting livestock, or supporting public health preparedness, this episode delivers practical guidance for recognizing, reporting, and responding to New World screwworm with confidence.

Director, Hazardous Waste Services

Daniels Health

Ashley Perry is the Director of Hazardous Waste Services at Daniels Health, where she leads a team focused on developing and implementing strategic initiatives around hazardous waste management and environmental compliance. She is an experienced regulatory and sustainability professional with over 12 years of work in compliance, hazardous waste, and environmental health and safety. Ashley has worked in various industries including waste treatment and agriculture, with much of her experience focused on healthcare and how to make complex compliance topics easier to understand. Ashley holds a B.A. in Environmental Policy from Cleveland State University as well as an M.S. in Sustainability from the University of Wisconsin – Green Bay.

Shawn G. Gibbs, PhD, MBA, CIH

Dean, School of Public Health Professor,

Environmental and Occupational Health

Texas A&M University

Shawn Gibbs, PhD, MBA, CIH, is Dean of the Texas A&M University School of Public Health. Shawn has over a hundred articles in industrial hygiene and environmental exposure assessment, focusing on disrupting transmission of highly infectious diseases. He was a Member of USEPA Board of Scientific Counselors for Homeland Security and the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Medical Task Force on COVID-19. His research has helped to determine national policies, procedure, and best practices for response to Ebola virus disease, COVID-19, and other highly infectious diseases. Shawn has held roles in organizations, such as National Emerging Special Pathogens Training and Education Center, NIEHS funded worker training programs, Director of Research for the CDC/DHHS funded Nebraska Biocontainment Unit, and others. He is a national leader in the research, training, and policy related to national and international responses to highly infectious disease outbreaks.

Emory Healthcare, Atlanta, GA

Jill Morgan is a registered nurse and a subject matter expert in personal protective equipment (PPE) for NETEC. For 35 years, Jill has been an emergency department and critical care nurse, and now splits her time between education for NETEC and clinical research, most of it centering around infection prevention and personal protective equipment. She is a member of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC), ASTM International, and the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI).

The National Emerging Special Pathogens Training and Education Center’s mission is to set the gold standard for special pathogen preparedness and response across health systems in the U.S. with the goals of driving best practices, closing knowledge gaps, and developing innovative resources.

Our vision is a sustainable infrastructure and culture of readiness for managing suspected and confirmed special pathogen incidents across the United States public health and health care delivery systems.

For more information visit NETEC on the web.

Assess and Advance Your Readiness for Special Pathogens with Free, Expert Consulting.

NETEC offers free virtual and onsite readiness consulting to help health care facilities and EMS agencies prepare for special pathogen events. Our targeted support services are delivered by experts selected and assigned to each inquiry based on the unique needs of your organization. Have a question? Ask a NETEC expert.

For more information visit NETEC consulting services.

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 adventures, and the return to school, Jill and Dr. Shane break down the real dangers posed by bug bites and creepy-crawlies, offering practical guidance to parents for preventing itching, infections, and accidental exposures. They discuss best practices for using insect repellents on children, why covering up is sometimes easier said than done, and the importance of checking kids (and pets) for ticks—along with what tick-borne illnesses to watch out for as changing climates shift the landscape of risks across the country.

The episode doesn’t shy away from common but uncomfortable realities like head lice, exploring why these unwelcome visitors are more gross than genuinely dangerous, and shares expert strategies for dealing with them calmly. Dr. Shane also covers hand hygiene, safe management of public restrooms, and the influx of “cooties” when kids return to school, offering memorable and sometimes hilarious tips for keeping families healthy through the literal and figurative messes of summer. Wrapping up, Jill and Dr. Shane emphasize the ongoing importance of vaccination, regular pediatric care, and practical steps every parent can take to minimize risks and avoid unexpected hospital visits. Whether you’re heading to camp, beach, or just the local playground, this episode is your guide to surviving and thriving through bugs, bites, and bathrooms.

Questions or comments for NETEC? Contact us at [email protected].

Visit Transmission Interrupted on the web at netec.org/podcast.

Professor of Pediatrics and Division Chief, Division of Pediatric Infectious Disease

Marcus Professor of Hospital Epidemiology and Infection Control

Emory University School of Medicine and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta

Andi L. Shane, MD, MPH, MSc joined Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Emory University in 2006 after completing an Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) fellowship at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and a Pediatric Infectious Disease fellowship at the University of California, San Francisco.

Prior to her fellowship, Dr. Shane earned a medical degree from Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans, followed by residency training with an additional year as a chief resident at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, NY.

Dr. Shane has broad experience and interests in the field of pediatric infectious disease, including but not limited to the prevention and management of diarrheal disease, neonatal sepsis, vaccine effectiveness, and the applications of probiotics to infectious disease prevention and mitigation. In addition, she is committed to the care of children with infections with special pathogens in protected care environments working with children’s hospital preparedness teams.

In her role as Marcus Professor of Hospital Epidemiology and Infection Control, she serves as the Medical Director of Hospital Epidemiology for Children’s, collaborating with the Children’s infection prevention and industrial hygiene teams.

Dr. Shane currently serves as the Division Chief of Infectious Diseases. She holds an adjunct appointment in the Hubert Department of Global Health and is an Emory Global Health Faculty Fellow.

Emory Healthcare, Atlanta, GA

Jill Morgan is a registered nurse and a subject matter expert in personal protective equipment (PPE) for NETEC. For 35 years, Jill has been an emergency department and critical care nurse, and now splits her time between education for NETEC and clinical research, most of it centering around infection prevention and personal protective equipment. She is a member of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC), ASTM International, and the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI)

The National Emerging Special Pathogens Training and Education Center’s mission is to set the gold standard for special pathogen preparedness and response across health systems in the U.S. with the goals of driving best practices, closing knowledge gaps, and developing innovative resources.

Our vision is a sustainable infrastructure and culture of readiness for managing suspected and confirmed special pathogen incidents across the United States public health and health care delivery systems.

For more information visit NETEC on the web.

Assess and Advance Your Readiness for Special Pathogens with Free, Expert Consulting.

NETEC offers free virtual and onsite readiness consulting to help health care facilities and EMS agencies prepare for special pathogen events. Our targeted support services are delivered by experts selected and assigned to each inquiry based on the unique needs of your organization. Have a question? Ask a NETEC expert.

For more information visit NETEC Consultation Services.