Ep 76 Chickenpox: There's always a 'but'

Ep 76 Chickenpox: There's always a 'but'

Ah, chickenpox, that pesky old childhood illness. And that’s all it is, right? Just a mild, routine infection that we all used to catch until the vaccine came around? Not quite. In this episode, we learn that, when it comes to the varicella-zoster virus, not everything is as it seems. We explore the complex nature of this virus, how it can make you kinda sick and then how it can make you really, really sick. After that, we dive into the evolutionary origins of this virus and the different infections it causes (spoiler alert: shingles as a viral survival strategy?!). And finally we trace its human history from discovery to vaccine to where we stand with chickenpox and shingles today.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jaksot(280)

Ep 59 Thalidomide: Justice Delayed, Justice Denied

Ep 59 Thalidomide: Justice Delayed, Justice Denied

The story of thalidomide is often employed as a cautionary tale - why testing a drug’s safety during pregnancy is crucial or why it’s important to choose the right animal models. Or it’s framed as a s...

29 Syys 20201h 32min

Ep 58 Guinea worm: (Almost) Ancient History

Ep 58 Guinea worm: (Almost) Ancient History

You’ve heard about smallpox, and you’ve learned about rinderpest. Now it’s time to meet what may be the third disease to ever be eradicated: dracunculiasis, also known as Guinea worm disease. In this ...

15 Syys 20201h 9min

Ep 57 Herpes: Stop the STIgma

Ep 57 Herpes: Stop the STIgma

The harm caused by herpes simplex viruses (HSV) 1 & 2 often arises not from the pathology of the viruses themselves but rather from the stigma and shame associated with a positive diagnosis. In this e...

1 Syys 20201h 25min

Ep 56 Sickle Cell Disease: Invisible Illness, Enduring Strength

Ep 56 Sickle Cell Disease: Invisible Illness, Enduring Strength

Neglected and ignored by the medical establishment throughout most of its history, sickle cell disease remains one of the most common (and commonly misunderstood) genetic conditions in the world. In t...

18 Elo 20201h 59min

Ep 55 Rocky Mountain spotted fever: The tick must be destroyed!

Ep 55 Rocky Mountain spotted fever: The tick must be destroyed!

Despite what its name might suggest, the story of Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) takes us far beyond the jagged, snow-capped peaks of the western range. From the Bitterroot Valley to southeastern...

4 Elo 20201h 47min

Ep 54 Wake Up and Smell the Caffeine

Ep 54 Wake Up and Smell the Caffeine

Are you one of the billions of people around the world who starts your day with a freshly brewed and deliciously aromatic cup of coffee or tea or maybe even hot chocolate? Or are you caffeine-avoidant...

21 Heinä 20201h 23min

Ep 53 Radiation: X-Ray Marks the Spot

Ep 53 Radiation: X-Ray Marks the Spot

“I have discovered something interesting, but I do not know whether or not my observations are correct.” With these words, Wilhelm Röntgen introduced the world to an invisible power, a power which wou...

7 Heinä 20201h 53min

Ep 52 Rinderpest: Moo Cows, Moo Problems

Ep 52 Rinderpest: Moo Cows, Moo Problems

The second disease ever to be eradicated, rinderpest could be the most devastating and notorious infection you never knew existed. Though its name means “cattle plague”, the deadly rinderpest virus in...

23 Kesä 20201h 20min

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