Ep 81 Chagas disease: The Reverse Triple Discovery

Ep 81 Chagas disease: The Reverse Triple Discovery

A nighttime “kiss” from a bug that casts a curse on its recipient in the form of a lifelong, and possibly fatal, illness. No, this isn’t some half-remembered fairy tale. It’s the true story of Chagas disease, caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi and transmitted by many species of triatomines (aka kissing bugs). In this episode, we take you through the utterly complicated biology of Chagas disease in its acute and chronic forms, the surprising evolutionary and historical background of this parasite and the scientist for whom it’s named, and finally the grim reality that is the global status of Chagas disease today.

The dizzying ecological complexity and pathophysiological mystery of this disease makes it a challenge to study, and the lack of funding only compounds the issue; Chagas disease bears the dubious distinction of the most neglected of all the neglected tropical diseases. In spite of this, many people are dedicated to easing the global burden of Chagas disease, and we were delighted to interview two of these Chagas champions for this episode. Daisy Hernandez, Associate Professor at Miami University, joins us to discuss the inspiration for her recent book The Kissing Bug: A True Story of a Family, an Insect, and a Nation’s Neglect of a Deadly Disease, and Dr. Sarah Hamer, Associate Professor at Texas A&M University, delves into the ecological aspects of this disease and shares the incredible community science program that raises awareness about T. cruzi and the bugs that transmit it.

To learn more, check out the links below:

Daisy Hernandez: website, Twitter (@daisyhernandez), Instagram (@iamdazeher), Facebook

Dr. Sarah Hamer: lab website, lab Twitter (@hamer_lab), Community Science Program

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jaksot(280)

Ep 200 Poop Part 1: How the sausage gets made

Ep 200 Poop Part 1: How the sausage gets made

It might be stinky and it might be unpleasant to behold, but we all do it. For many of us, our poop is out of sight, out of mind once we flush it away. But for the next hour and fifteen minutes or so,...

10 Helmi 1h 11min

Special Episode: Nicola Twilley & Frostbite

Special Episode: Nicola Twilley & Frostbite

For much of the world, refrigeration is such a commonplace technology that we rarely stop to wonder at the many ways it has transformed our lives. From the foods we grow to where we grow them, from ho...

3 Helmi 1h

Ep 199 Sleep Part 2: Predictably unpredictable

Ep 199 Sleep Part 2: Predictably unpredictable

Now that we know just how critical sleep is, we’re all making sure we get the amount we need, right? Unfortunately no. One-third to one-half of Americans are not getting enough sleep, according to pub...

27 Tammi 1h 10min

Ep 198 Sleep Part 1: Sleeping with one eye open

Ep 198 Sleep Part 1: Sleeping with one eye open

Sleep is a universal experience. It’s not just the lion that sleeps tonight - it’s also the butterfly, the chicken, the jellyfish, the dog, the snake, the worm, and of course the human. What is this w...

20 Tammi 1h 14min

Special Episode: Daniel Stone & American Poison

Special Episode: Daniel Stone & American Poison

The widespread use of leaded gasoline in the 20th century led to one of the world’s biggest public health and environmental disasters, the effects of which are still present today. Since its developme...

13 Tammi 57min

Ep 197 Detox: Enemas for everyone

Ep 197 Detox: Enemas for everyone

Ah, the new year. After the last month and a half of indulgent food and drink, disrupted schedules, and laying around the house, who doesn’t feel like they’re in need of a whole-body cleanse? There ar...

6 Tammi 1h 16min

From the Vault - Endometriosis: Menstrual Backwash (Ep 88)

From the Vault - Endometriosis: Menstrual Backwash (Ep 88)

This episode originally aired on January 11th, 2022. Chances are you know someone with endometriosis, or perhaps you’re affected yourself. But despite its incredibly high prevalence, endo remains almo...

30 Joulu 20252h 11min

From the Vault - Hepatitis B: Hepatiti, Take 2 (Ep 89)

From the Vault - Hepatitis B: Hepatiti, Take 2 (Ep 89)

This episode originally aired on January 25th, 2022. In light of the recent changes by RFK jr’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) to eliminate the universal birth dose of the hepatit...

23 Joulu 20251h 30min

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