Outbreak News Interviews

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 […] The post Listeria monocytogenes: Who’s most at risk, pathology and common sources appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Today it was reported that the Pentagon mail facility received two pieces of mail Monday that initially tested positive for the toxin, ricin. CNN reports that the letters were addressed to Secretary of Defense James Mattis and to Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral John Richardson. It was latter reported that one piece of mail was […] The post Ricin: A weapon of assassination rather than mass destruction appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Last week, the CDC reported on a record-breaking estimated 900,000 flu hospitalizations and more than 80,000 deaths in the U.S. last flu season. My guest today, makes the case in Self magazine recently that while the flu shot is not 100 percent effective, you still need it. Joining me now is the author of the piece, Tara […] The post Flu shots: Some protection is better than no protection appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Bartonella are globally distributed bacteria that can cause endocarditis in humans and domestic animals. Bats have been implicated as a likely reservoir host for these bacteria, but little is known about how prevalence varies over time, routes of transmission, and the genetic diversity of Bartonella in bats. My guest today sheds some light on this topic in a […] The post Bartonella and vampire bats: A look at the recent research appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

A little over a month ago I did a podcast with today’s guest on various infectious disease topics from her book Gompfs ID pearls and because it was so well received and the fact that we really just scratched the surface on this interesting topic, I had to have her on for another round of […] The post Infectious disease ‘pearls’, part 2: Outbreak News This Week appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Yersiniosis is an infection caused most often by eating raw or undercooked pork contaminated with Yersinia enterocolitica bacteria. CDC estimates Y. enterocolitica causes almost 117,000 illnesses, 640 hospitalizations, and 35 deaths in the United States every year. Associate Professor of Infectious Disease and International Medicine at USF Health, Sandra Gompf, MD joined me to talk about Y. enterocolitica infections, transmission via […] The post Yersinia enterocolitica: Chitlins, blood transfusions and Reiter’s syndrome appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Infection of the bone–short and sweet, that is the definition of osteomyelitis. Associate Professor of Infectious Disease and International Medicine at USF Health, Sandra Gompf, MD joined me to answer a few questions about this topic, something she addresses in her handy guide, Gompf’s ID pearls. During the discussion, Dr Gompf explains what the three basic types of […] The post Osteomyelitis: Types, complications and imaging studies appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Tetanus is a very serious, potentially fatal disease that typically occurs in people who have not been vaccinated. In this short Q&A, I talk to Associate Professor of Infectious Disease and International Medicine at USF Health, Sandra Gompf, MD about this topic, something she addresses in her handy guide, Gompf’s ID pearls. I ask her about the […] The post Tetanus: Symptoms, treatment, prevention and more appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Transmitted by the bite of the tsetse flu (Glossina spp.), African trypanosomiasis, of sleeping sickness is a serious infection caused by microscopic parasites of the species Trypanosoma brucei. Although the infection is not found in the United States, historically, it has been a serious public health problem in some regions of sub-Saharan Africa. In 2014, 3,796 sleeping sickness […] The post African sleeping sickness: A short Q&A with an ID physician appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

September is Sepsis Awareness Month and according to the CDC, 1 in 3 people who die in a hospital have sepsis. 250,000 Americans die from sepsis each year. Joining me to talk about sepsis diagnostics, treatment, recovery and more is Dr. Amy Sprague. Dr Sprague is the Patient Safety Manager at the Roudebush VA Medical […] The post Sepsis awareness with Dr Amy Sprague appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

George Mason University economics professor, Dr Walter Williams recently published an op-ed suggesting that illegal or undocumented immigrants are a source of infectious diseases in the country. Senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, Amesh Adalja, MD responded to Dr Williams thesis with a countering op-ed. So the question is, does the […] The post Undocumented immigrants and the import of infectious diseases: A real health security risk to the US? appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

With the unusual, in fact, first time the viral disease monkeypox was reported not once but twice in England this past week, I thought it would be good to learn more about the disease. Professor Emeritus of Pediatrics and Epidemiology at the Yale schools of Medicine and Public health and author of the book, Animal […] The post Outbreak News This Week: Monkeypox, Florida mosquito-borne viruses appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Sleep apnea is a common sleep disorder that is associated with an increased prevalence of cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes and other chronic health disorders. Up to 90 percent of individuals with sleep apnea are undiagnosed and a large number of them are African-Americans. A new study by investigators at Brigham and Women’s Hospital looked at […] The post Sleep apnea in African Americans: Prevalent and undiagnosed according to study appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Leptospirosis is a disease spread by animal urine. People get infected when they come in contact with urine of infected animals or with urine-contaminated water, soil, or food. We’ve seen recent news reports of increases in leptospirosis cases in countries like the Philippines and India due to recent storms and the subsequent flooding. To look at […] The post Leptospirosis: Risk, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Sleep disorders, including sleep apnea, have become a significant health issue in the United States. It is estimated that 22 million Americans suffer from sleep apnea, with 80 percent of the cases of moderate and severe obstructive sleep apnea undiagnosed. Obstructive sleep apnea, or OSA when left untreated can lead a multitude of health disorders. […] The post Sleep apnea: Symptoms, diagnosis and the CPAP machine appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

A professor at the University of Texas-El Paso is reaching out to the community there to help with research on Chagas disease and its vector, the kissing bug. Joining me to talk about Chagas, kissing bugs, the community involvement and Chagas research being done is Rosa Maldonado, PhD. Dr Maldanado is an Associate Professor with […] The post Chagas disease: UTEP professor discusses research and involving community appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

A University of Florida entomologist recently urged  Floridians to protect themselves against biting mosquitoes because of unusually high levels of mosquito-borne virus transmission, particularly Eastern Equine Encephalitis or EEE and West Nile Virus,  in sentinel chickens, horses and humans so far this summer. Joining me today is said entomologist, Jonathan Day, PhD. Dr Day is […] The post Florida experiencing high levels of mosquito-borne virus transmission: How to protect yourself? appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Have you ever received a hospital bill and couldn’t quite figure out how it could possibly be that expensive? I recently had a same day surgery at a local hospital which had a price tag of $47,000. Fortunately for me, a contract with my health insurance negotiated the cost down to $6,000. How is this possible? […] The post Hospital bills: The enormous costs, negotiated insurance prices and the self-pay patient appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

On the September 9 airing of the Outbreak News This Week Radio Show, I am joined by two great guests. In the first half, practicing infectious disease physician, Associate Professor of Medicine with the Division of Infectious Diseases at the University of Toronto and CEO of BlueDot, Dr Kamran Khan joined me to talk about some current […] The post Outbreak News This Week: Guests include Kamran Khan MD and Michael Osterholm, PhD appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

What is sexually transmitted disease (STD) contraction law? Is against the law for a person to knowingly infect someone or put someone at risk for contracting a STD? These and other questions are answered when I talk to leading STD contraction lawyer, Todd Kelly. Mr Kelly is an attorney with The Carlson Law Firm based out […] The post STD contraction law explained appeared first on Outbreak News Today.