Outbreak News Interviews

A recent study published in the Entomological Society of America’s Journal of Medical Entomology demonstrates the duration of attachment of a single nymphal blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis) needed for the tick to be likely to transmit the bacterial species Borrelia mayonii, identified in 2016, is 48 hours or more, according to the study. By 72 hours, however, likelihood of transmission has risen significantly.

This timeframe aligns with existing research on Borrelia burgdorferi, previously the sole bacteria species known to cause Lyme disease in the United States.

Director of the Clinical Parasitology Laboratory in Mayo Clinic's Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Bobbi Pritt, MD joined me in Feb. 2016 to discuss the discovery of Borrelia mayonii.

23andMe is a popular company that offers genomic analysis for customers using a saliva sample. They offer ancestry testing and health and ancestry testing for 100-200 dollars.

My guest for this show, health law professor at the University of South Florida College of Public Health, Katherine Drabiak, JD warns in a new article, “Caveat Emptor: How the Intersection of Big Data and Consumer Genomics Exponentially Increases Informational Privacy Risks” published in Health Matrix: Journal of Law-Medicine that the consumer should also be aware of how their personal information could be shared.

Rabies is among the deadliest communicable diseases in the world with a case-fatality rate of ~100% with out post exposure treatment and vaccination. People usually get rabies from the bite of a rabid animal. It is also possible, but quite rare, that people may get rabies if infectious material from a rabid animal, such as saliva, gets directly into their eyes, nose, mouth, or a wound.

While human rabies deaths are rare in the US, with maybe 1-2 cases annually, according to the Global Alliance for Rabies Control, some 70,000 people die from this preventable viral disease each year.

Pamela Wilson, LVT, MEd, MCHES joined me for a comprehensive Q & A on rabies. Pamela works for Zoonosis Control with the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) in Austin and is the author of a number of articles on the topic of rabies.

Professor Emeritus of Epidemiology at the Yale School of Public Health, Durland Fish, PhD joined me to discuss the tickborne virus, Powassan. Dr. Fish talked about the history of Powassan, signs and symptoms, geography and some additional thoughts he had on the serious viral disease.

Baylisascaris procyonis is a roundworm found in the small intestines of raccoons. Humans get infected, albeit rarely (30-something cases have been reported; however, it is probably more common than documented), by accidentally ingesting eggs from the environment, from raccoon feces, contaminated water or fomites.

The three most common disease manifestations of Baylisascaris are larval migrations through the tissues, to the eyes (blindness) and the central nervous system (brain damage).

Professor Emeritus of Veterinary Parasitology at the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, Kevin Kazacos, DVM, PhD joined me for a comprehensive interview about this little known, but very dangerous parasite.

The Food and Drug Administration recently approved a new antibiotic into the arsenal for treating serious acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSI).

Its called delafloxacin and goes by the trade name, Baxdela and its manufactured by Melinta Therapeutics.

Assistant Professor of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, James McKinnell, M.D. joined me to discuss the importance of this approval.

The Food and Drug Administration recently approved a new antibiotic into the arsenal for treating serious acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSI).

Its called delafloxacin and goes by the trade name, Baxdela and its manufactured by Melinta Therapeutics.

Assistant Professor of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, James McKinnell, M.D. joined me to discuss the importance of this approval.

Lyme disease expert, Clinical Director for the Division of Infectious Diseases and Professor of Medicine at Johns Hopkins, Dr. Paul Auwaerter joined me to answer questions about Lyme disease diagnostic testing, treatment, chronic Lyme disease and Lyme literate physicians.

Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the United States and melanoma is the most dangerous type. In fact, Melanoma kills an estimated more than 10,000 people in the US annually.

Board-certified dermatologist and founder of Forman Dermatology and Skin Cancer Institute in Tampa, Seth Forman, MD joined me for a discussion on the ABC’s of melanoma to include risk factors, things to look for, prevention and treatment.

The parasitic infection, Chagas disease, was first discovered in 1909 by Brazilian physician Carlos Chagas. According to the World Health Organization, an estimated more than 10,000 people die every year from clinical manifestations of Chagas disease, and more than 25 million people risk acquiring the disease.

It is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, and the disease is also referred to as American trypanosomiasis.

Hutchinson Distinguished Professor of Biological Sciences at Loyola University New Orleans, Patricia Dorn, PhD joined me to discuss Chagas disease and her class trip to Guatemala.