Infection
Show 1377: Tell Me When It’s Over!
This week, we talk with Dr. Paul Offit, author of the new book, Tell Me When It’s Over. Most of us are more than ready to move on from the COVID-19 pandemic. We’ll discuss how public health offici…
How Long Should You Stay Away from Others after …
We recently told you that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) were planning to change the guidelines for people recovering from COVID infections. At the time, the agency recommended t…
How Can You Avoid Norovirus 2024?
Norovirus is nasty! You do not want to catch this "stomach flu." It is also called "winter vomiting bug" and "cruise ship virus." This pathogen is incredibly contagious and is circulating far and wide…
Do We Simply Not Care About Old People?
Judith Graham February 9, 2024 The covid-19 pandemic would be a wake-up call for America, advocates for the elderly predicted: incontrovertible proof that the nation wasn’t doing enough to care for …
Will You Make a Condiment to Fend Off Colds?
Every so often, a reader shares a remedy that gets a lot of attention. Last month, we heard from a person whose special sauce helps her family fend off colds. Wendi wrote: “I have been making a hot …
What Immunity-Boosting Nutrients Are You Missing…
Are you getting the nutrients you need to stay healthy and keep your immune system functioning optimally? Frequently health care professionals dismiss the need for supplemental vitamins or minerals. T…
Will Vitamin D Help You Avoid Infection?
Does vitamin D improve resistance against viruses such as the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19? British researchers suggest that adequate vitamin D levels might help people avoid infection. They …
Should You Lower a Fever or Leave It Alone?
When should you treat a fever? Before people used aspirin or acetaminophen to lower a fever, healers around the world believed that raising body temperature would speed recovery from infection. A few …
Show 1357: Revisiting Ventilation to Avoid Airbo…
According to the CDC, cases of COVID-19 have been rising in several parts of the country. Cases of hospitalization for COVID are also up. One way to protect ourselves from airborne germs like the SARS…
Are Tick-Borne Illnesses More of a Problem?
Summertime is tick season. As soon as temperatures start to climb, ticks come out of hibernation. That’s bad news for pets and people who like to get out into nature. Tick-borne illnesses have doubl…
Wastewater Monitoring Can Sound the Alarm Early …
During the COVID-19 pandemic, many public health organizations used wastewater monitoring. Checking sewage for pathogens could also provide an early warning against future outbreaks. How Does Wastewat…
Will We Have a Bad Flu Season This Year?
The last thing most Americans and Europeans are thinking about at this time of year is influenza. This is not flu season! And most people have put worries about COVID-19 behind them. Over the last sev…
Show 1274: Can We Make Sick Buildings Healthy? (…
Are you getting enough fresh air? More than a century ago, Florence Nightingale insisted that hospitals needed good ventilation to get lots of fresh air. That would keep patients from spreading danger…
Can You Boost Your Immune System with Extra Zinc…
Most people would like to improve their immune function at this time of year. Viruses that cause colds and influenza are everywhere and even vigorous hand washing may not protect you from coming down …
Show 1336: How the Antiviral Gut Tackles Pathoge…
This week our guest is gastroenterologist Robynne Chutkan. She explains how keeping our digestive microbiota in good health can help our immune systems fight off pathogens from the inside out. This sh…
New Biomarker Technology to Diagnose Infections …
Diagnosing infectious diseases accurately and in a timely fashion remains challenging. Mistaking a sore throat caused by Fusobacterium for one caused by more common Streptococcus can be deadly. Even d…
Surge in Viral Infections Linked to Shortage of …
The dreaded tripledemic seems to have arrived. Cases of influenza, respiratory syncytial virus and COVID-19 are higher than usual. Perhaps because these infections affect young children disproportiona…
Show 1285: The Plant Hunter’s Quest for Na…
Cassandra Quave is an explorer and an ethnobotanist uncovering potential ways that plants can benefit human health. She has a particular interest in multi-antibiotic resistant infections. Not only do …
Show 1313: Avoiding Germs in Bathrooms and Bedro…
This week on our nationally syndicated radio show, we learn where the most germs are lurking in our homes and workplaces. Public toilets often make people nervous, but in fact, says Dr. Chuck Gerba, c…
Show 1244: Life-Saving Lessons for COVID-19 from…
We are heartbroken that Dr. Paul Farmer, with whom we spoke in this episode, died suddenly on Feb. 21, 2022. He was a true hero. Our condolences to his family and colleagues. We are airing this interv…
Can You Use Oil of Oregano With Confidence?
For years, readers have been telling us that they use oil of oregano as an antifungal or antimicrobial agent. Scientists have found data to support this use. For example, oregano oil applied topically…
How Plants Like Thyme and Oregano Make Cancer-Fi…
Researchers at Purdue University have unraveled just how plants like thyme and oregano make some of their bioactive compounds. Thymol, carvacrol and thymohydroquinone provide the characteristic flavor…
Show 1283: What We Should Learn About the Coming…
Almost thirty years ago, Laurie Garrett published The Coming Plague: Newly Emerging Diseases in a World Out of Balance. In this thorough, carefully researched analysis, she laid out why public health …
Babies Fed Formula Have Less Healthy Gut Bacteri…
Mothers considering the merits of formula vs. breast milk have mostly weighed nutritional qualities, which are similar though not identical. Babies fed formula miss out on the immunological protection…
Show 1250: Antimicrobial Resistant Infections Co…
Everyone is weary of the coronavirus pandemic and ready to be done with it. So the news that a new pandemic is already slowly unfolding is unwelcome. But unless we pay attention and do what we can to …
Will Drug-Resistant Germs from Pig Farms Make Yo…
Pig farming is big business in eastern North Carolina. Industrial-scale hog operations have become breeding grounds for drug-resistant germs of the type called Staphylococcus aureus. Where Do Drug-Res…
Show 1239: How Can We Prevent Diagnostic Disaste…
It seems obvious that to provide the proper treatment, a doctor first needs to know what is wrong. However, although medical experts have been focusing on improving diagnosis in medicine for more than…
Show 1234: How Microbes Evolve to Become Enemies…
The SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus behind COVID-19 is changing. This should not be a surprise, since microbes evolve by nature. What implications might this have for the infection in future months? We speak w…
Can Melatonin Help Overcome COVID-19?
People may take popular supplements for a wide range of problems even if researchers have not established their efficacy. What can melatonin help with? A lot of folks probably noticed, as this reader …
Does Low Vitamin D Make People Vulnerable to COV…
Has a locked-down season staying out of crowds and working from home been keeping you indoors? If so, your vitamin D levels might not be as high as you would like. Will that make you more vulnerable t…
What Are the Risks and Benefits of MMR for Adult…
Researchers are working to develop an effective, safe vaccine for COVID-19, but we are still months away from that goal. In the meantime, are there any other immunizations that could help? One reader …
Show 1170: What Makes Your Immune System an Eleg…
This show first aired in June, 2019, before anyone had heard of SARS-CoV-2 or COVID-19. Today, understanding how your immune system works to overcome an infection is more important than ever. Just how…
Most Americans Are Still Vulnerable to COVID-19
Antibodies reveal who has been infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. According to the latest research, the vast majority of US residents remain vulnerable to COVID-19, the disease caused by SARS-2. What…
When Will Herd Immunity Stop the Pandemic?
Some public health authorities are hoping that the COVID-19 pandemic will fizzle once enough people have recovered from the infection. The idea is that we could reach herd immunity. What Is Herd…
Show 1155: Can Bacteriophages Save Your Life? (A…
Antibiotic-resistant bacteria have been cropping up around the world. These superbugs cause serious problems, especially when they fail to respond to increasingly potent medications. One approach may …
Surprise! Hydroxychloroquine Worked in New Michi…
Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) is one of the most controversial drugs in the pharmacy. Initial research looked promising. But most of these were observational studies. Then came a placebo-controlled, …
Experts Warn of Possible Pandemic Yet to Come
Is there another possible pandemic lurking around the corner? Public health officials are concerned that the world might have to deal with another serious health threat on top of COVID-19. A Possible …
Show 1217: Natural Ways to Keep Your Immune Syst…
The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the importance of having a healthy immune system. It appears that more than three-fourths of the people who contract the infection recover without hospitalization…
Is It Risky to Flush the Toilet During the Pande…
Should people be concerned about catching COVID-19 while using the bathroom? The virus can be found in the digestive tract. Consequently, if an infected person were to flush the toilet, particles migh…
Should You Wear a Face Mask? Yes, According to H…
If you have been wondering whether wearing a face mask is worth the hassle, hamsters in Hong Kong have news for you. Put that mask on, for your neighbor’s sake! Hong Kong Scientists Studying Hamster…