In conjunction with RFK Jr.’s anti-vaccine organization, a woman named Andrea Shaw is a plaintiff in a lawsuit against the American Academy of Pediatrics. She claims that vaccines caused the death of her 18-month old twins. She was just charged with first degree murder in their deaths.

An epidemiological mystery is unfolding in Michigan, with an unusually large outbreak of cyclosporiasis, a parasitic infection spread via the fecal-oral route. In other words, it is generally transmitted via fecal contamination of water or food. Public health officials don’t yet know the source.

Fourth of July reminder: ✔️ Mayo isn't always the villain. ✔️ Fireworks don't belong in your trunk. ✔️ Thermometers save cookouts. ✔️ Greg still shouldn't be in charge of transporting the potato salad. More questionable life advice in Grill, Thrill & Kill. www.infectiousdose.com/post/grill-t...

For decades, screwworm was kept out of the US because of an extraordinary public health system. But public health victories are not self-sustaining. So now we're battling screwworm again. The newest episode of Infectious Dose is now live. 🎧 www.infectiousdose.com/post/on-the-...

Last 4th of July I turned food poisoning & fireworks into a comedy special that somehow ends with a poem dedicated to American scientists. I wish that ending was less relevant now. If you missed it, this is the perfect time. 🎙️ Grill, Thrill & Kill link: www.infectiousdose.com/post/grill-t...

Scientists take note.

Coming up on #InfectiousDose Tuesday night midnight CST: A parasite we defeated once before. A public health victory most people never learned about. And a reminder that prevention only stays invisible when the systems behind it keep working. #Screwworm

Just heard Fred Murphy died. Man what a loss. He was such a cool person. No doubt you've seen his iconic Ebola pics from when he was at the CDC. This is a nice short write up on it. To the rest of the road, Fred. time.com/3502740/ebol...

A humid Gulf Coast summer night. A campfire. A drink in hand. And a mosquito with plans of her own. 🦟 Dusk Hunters is now live. See you by the 🔥 🎧 or read here or whever you get your podcasts www.infectiousdose.com/post/dusk-hu... #OutbreakAfterDark #InfectiousDose

FYI I’ve changed my name on socials from my name to the podcast name to protect myself but It’s still just me.

June’s Summer Rain series is almost complete. Before we talk about mosquitoes tomorrow night, I wanted to spend some time with the rain itself. If you’ve ever stood outside before a storm arrived just to breathe it in, this one’s for you. 🌧️

Coming Tues midnight CST on #InfectiousDose #OutbreakAfterDark returns for a humid Gulf Coast summer night by the fire.🦟 Recipes ⬇️ if you'd like to listen along with a drink & a snack: 🥃 Night Hum 🍑 Wheal & Fizz 🍢 Grilled Proboscides 🍫 Afterbite See you by the fire.

Gail's work is amazing! Buy something designed by a real person, and not some common piece of stuff from the other places.

Now live: New bonus Outbreak Watch episode Updates on Ebola. Hantavirus. Screwworm. Plus a look at these 3 different biological events with 1 common challenge: understanding enough of the threat to act. 🎧 Listen or read here: www.infectiousdose.com/post/outbrea...

🌧️ The Storm has broken. Out now: A different kind of #InfectiousDose. Part immersive summer storm. Part microbiology. Part story about why the smell of rain can transport us across decades. Listen or read here, or wherever you get your podcasts. 🎧 www.infectiousdose.com/post/listeni...

Gypsy helped me record this week's #InfectiousDose episode—an immersive exploration of the smell of summer rain—under the patio umbrella during a storm. Episode drops Tuesday night at midnight CST. #SummerRain #Petrichor #Bliss

The next #InfectiousDose episode is a little different. As part of the June series, Stories of Summer Rain, we're exploring one of the most recognizable scents in nature. Part microbiology. Part memory. Part summer rain. ⛈️ Storm breaks Tuesday night at midnight CST.

When you see the story about how the world now has its first trillionaire, and when you see the story about how laboratories in Congo have run out of supplies to test for Ebola, it is important to understand that in many ways these are the same story.

Trump Admin Targets Five of Oregon’s Seven Wonders for Destruction morethanjustparks.substack.com/p/trump-admi...

Scientists investigating a cancer drug. Allergists investigating reactions to red meat. A tick hiding in the middle of the story. New episode of #InfectiousDose is now live. 🎧Listen or read here, or wherever you get your podcasts www.infectiousdose.com/post/the-tic...

Most allergies happen within minutes. This one might wait until you're asleep. Next on #InfectiousDose, we're unraveling one of the strangest medical mysteries of the last two decades—and it starts with a tick bite. Drops Tuesday at midnight CST. wisconsin-ticks.russell.wisc.edu/wisconsin-ti...

A flesh-eating parasite has been detected in Texas for the first time in decades. The larvae were found in the umbilical wound of a 3-week-old calf in Zavala County. If you're suddenly seeing "screwworm" all over your feed, here's why people are paying attention. 🧵

"Idaho health officials are investigating how nearly 60 people got sick after drinking raw milk in the past two weeks." Let me save you some time....🙄 idahocapitalsun.com/briefs/nearl...

The government agency tasked with stopping invasive pests has been overrun by invasive pests www.notus.org/policy/usda-...

I learned a lot about post-storm health risks after Hurricane Ike left our Galveston home under floodwater. The wind gets the headlines. The week after changes lives. Floodwater. Wound infections. Mold. Mosquitoes. Rodents. Contaminated food and water.🧵

June on #InfectiousDose: Stories of summer rain. 🌧️ Hurricanes & ID risks 🕷️ Alpha-gal syndrome & tick bites 🌦️ A relaxing rain-soaked self-care break 🦟 An OAD on what really happens when skeeters bite Weather shapes our plans & our health. #PublicHealth #SummerRain www.Infectiousdose.com

And I appreciate @emilymullin.bsky.social @wired.com speaking plainly, because, yes, the CREID network - along with so much other critical infectious disease research - was defunded because of rampant conspiracy theories about how the last pandemic was concocted and covered up by evil scientists.

I wanted to create a better space for deeper engagement on the #InfectiousDose website so now you can: • subscribe for episode/outbreak notifications • sign up for the Field Notes newsletter • & registered members can leave comments See you there! www.infectiousdose.com

🚨 Outbreak Watch episode is live. Updates on the rapidly escalating Bundibugyo outbreak, the slow-motion spread of the hantavirus cruise-ship cluster, & what both reveal about systems vulnerabilities that pathogens exploit. Listen/read here or your fav platform www.infectiousdose.com/post/exactly...

NOW LIVE 🔥 The new #OutbreakAfterDark tells the true story of the first criminal case where forensic virology helped secure a conviction. This one starts like true crime. And ends somewhere much stranger. Evidence and Aftermath menu recipes:

A diagnosis that didn’t make sense. A syringe. A virus that became evidence. Tonight on Outbreak After Dark: the true story of the first criminal case where forensic virology helped secure a conviction. #InfectiousDose #OutbreakAfterDark

Dem's put forth amendment prohibiting use of taxpayer funds to pay out Trump lawsuit settlements. Dem's blast Trump use of taxpayer money to pay off Capitol Hill rioters calling it a profound abuse of taxpayers' funds. "This is a slush fund for Trump's political allies."

One person with recent travel to East Africa being tested for Ebola virus in Ontario There's no need to panic. But this does not mean we shouldn't be doing everything possible to isolate possible, presumptive, and confirmed cases and interrupt onward transmission. www.ctvnews.ca/toronto/arti...

Many are looking at the current Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak curve and concluding “this must be airborne now.” There is no good evidence for that. This most likely reflects delayed detection + surveillance catch-up, not a sudden change in Ebola transmission dynamics. 🧵

A new episode of #InfectiousDose is live. I explain what's happening with the current #Ebola outbreak in DRC, and also dive into what Ebola is, how it spreads, and why outbreaks amplify through caregiving & strained healthcare systems. Listen or read: www.infectiousdose.com/post/contain...

Tuesday’s #InfectiousDose episode will be a deep dive into Ebola — what it is, how it spreads, why outbreaks happen, and why the virus occupies such a unique place in public imagination. I’m also opening the Hot Zone Hotline: What’s the #1 Ebola question you want answered? ⬇️

OK... so about those Ebola headlines... Here's what’s happening, why it matters, & who's most affected. On 15 May, health authorities confirmed an Ebola Bundibugyo outbreak in Ituri Province, in north-eastern DRC. 🧵

I put together a state-by-state breakdown of the Southern rush to crush Black representation. Infuriating

I started my weekly newsletter, Field Notes, 5 weeks ago because there were ideas that didn’t fit cleanly into podcast episodes. Not extra facts. Not episode recaps. More like: the thing that stayed with me after the recording was done. 🧵

It’s Wednesday and that means it’s time for Defend Public Health’s Whopper of the Week! The team takes on RFK Jr. and Hegseth’s dangerous diversion from literal centuries of the U.S. protecting members of the armed services with vaccines. I’m probably biased, but this is really good.

One thing I keep seeing in the Andes virus discussion is people collapsing “mode of transmission” and “transmission dynamics” into the same thing. But they’re not the same. 🧵

What a nice comment on today's episode. I love that it's helpful. Listen or read here: www.infectiousdose.com/post/hantavi...

Now Live: Hantavirus on the High Seas — Part 2 This week isn’t just about what changed in the outbreak. It’s about why the conversation around it became so messy. I revisit the know/think/worry framework with where we are now & cover the talking points that emerged⤵️ #InfectiousDose

New episode drops tonight at midnight CST. In Part 2, I walk through what’s changed since last week: new cases sequencing data WHO guidance A clearer picture of Andes virus transmission & how to apply my know / think / worry framework as the story evolves. #InfectiousDose #AndesVirus

Okay. This is today's version 2. Hopefully, the typos are corrected and additions made. I greatly appreciate the feedback - I put it out in a rush. Sorry about that. I moved some text to a sidebar to allow a little breathing room.

Watch the pattern, not the headlines. The next six months could bring distraction campaigns, fear narratives, media spectacles, investigations, and procedural warfare. None of this will be random. www.jackhopkinsnow.com

Hey guys...something cool is happening. The Andes virus discussion is scientific consensus evolving in public. A statement from the International Hantavirus Society and dozens of hantavirus researchers is a great example of science communication in motion. 🧵

Small clarification/addition to the hantavirus episode: After listening back, I realized one phrase in the Andes virus section didn’t fully capture the nuance I was trying to convey, so I added a brief clarification to the audio & blog post. 🧵 #InfectiousDose #Andes

The Canary Islands refusing to let the hantavirus cruise ship dock is a modern echo of the lazarettos I talked about in my plague doctor episode. “Quarantine” comes from quaranta giorni — 40 days ships were required to wait during plague outbreaks. ⬇️ news.sky.com/video/i-cann...

Reminder that I also write a free weekly newsletter called Field Notes. It’s where I take one idea from each episode and follow it a little further. Going forward, I’ll also be using it to provide measured updates on the MV Hondius Hantavirus Investigation. 👇 #FieldNotes