Ep 77 Legionnaires' Disease: A Killer Mist

Ep 77 Legionnaires' Disease: A Killer Mist

Celebration wasn’t the only thing in the air in Philadelphia in July of 1976. Over the course of several days during the 58th Annual Convention of the American Legion, a killer mist spewed out of the air conditioning units throughout the building and into the sidewalks nearby. The result was a large outbreak of unexplained febrile pneumonia, often fatal, that would acquire the name Legionnaires’ Disease. What was causing this terrifying disease and how could it be stopped? In this episode, we walk through the massive investigation into this outbreak that would lead to the discovery of the causative agent, Legionella pneumophila, and explore the biology of this mysterious pathogen. We wrap up the episode with a look at the current status of Legionnaires’ Disease and a potentially grim forecast for its prevalence as the world slowly gets back to normal.

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Jaksot(281)

Ep 60 Giving birth to "The Pill"

Ep 60 Giving birth to "The Pill"

Well, TPWKY listeners, it has been a heck of a year, and it’s not even over yet! But one thing has come to an end: our third season. Given the profound implications these next couple of months will ha...

13 Loka 20201h 33min

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

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