Infectious Dose

Infectious Dose
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Infectious dose is the shot of science you need to protect yourself from misinformation. Heather McSharry, PhD, an expert in viral pathogenesis, brings her blog to the airwaves to help bridge the dangerous gap between the science of infectious diseases and public misperception. On the podcast website, infectiousdose.com, all episodes have corresponding blog posts with the information contained in the episode along with links or PDFs for all sources used. To prevent unwelcome surprises, episodes with limited, mild profanity are marked as explicit. *Podcast intro and outro music are adapted from Heather Nova’s song, I Miss My Sky. Used with permission.

  1. vor 2 Tagen

    S2E27 On the Fly: Lessons From a Screwworm

    In the mid‑20th century, ranchers across the southern United States watched livestock being literally eaten alive by a flesh‑eating parasite: New World screwworm. This episode tells the story of how an entomologist’s “absurd” idea helped eradicate screwworm from North America, and why that victory is suddenly back in the spotlight as new cases appear in Texas in 2026. We follow the parasite’s biology, the development of the Sterile Insect Technique, the massive binational infrastructure that kept screwworm at bay until it was gutted last year, and the quiet, ongoing work of prevention that most people never see. Along the way, we explore what this outbreak can teach us about public health systems, maintenance versus one‑time “wins,” and why some of the most important turning points in infectious disease are really long‑term commitments. Companion blog post with annotated citations and resources at infectiousdose.com. Subscribe to Heather's free, weekly newsletter, Field Notes, to continue the conversation beyond each episode, get outbreak updates, and see behind the scenes of Infectious Dose.

    23 Min.

  2. 24. Juni

    S2E26 Dusk Hunters: The Anatomy of a Blood Meal

    June's Summer Rain series wraps up with a tribute to Gulf Coast mosquitoes. In this episode of Outbreak After Dark, Heather and Kate explore the anatomy of a mosquito bite—from the moment a female mosquito detects carbon dioxide to the itch that keeps you awake long after she's gone. Topics include: • How mosquitoes find humans • Why only female mosquitoes take blood meals • The surprising anatomy hidden inside a mosquito's proboscis • Why mosquito bites itch • Histamine, nerves, and the science of scratching • Why some people attract more mosquitoes than others • Mosquito-borne diseases and changing mosquito ranges • Practical mosquito prevention tips Plus: a Galveston mosquito disaster and an unexpectedly heated discussion about the plural of proboscis. Recipes for Night Hum, Wheal & Fizz, Grilled Proboscides, and Afterbite are available in the accompanying blog post at infectiousdose.com Subscribe to the free weekly newsletter, Field Notes.

    30 Min.

  3. 19. Juni ·  Bonus

    Outbreak Watch: Line of Sight

    Outbreak Watch returns with updates on three unfolding biological events and the systems responding to them. This week: • The Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo becomes the largest on record as contact tracing, clean water access, and response operations face growing challenges. • The Andes hantavirus outbreak linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship is behaving as expected, providing an important lesson in what successful containment looks like. • New World screwworm detections in the United States highlight ongoing debates about surveillance, preparedness, and the challenges of responding to an emerging threat when critical systems must be rebuilt. In this episode, we explore visibility, uncertainty, and the operational realities that shape outbreak response long before most people hear about it. For weekly outbreak updates, subscribe to the free Infectious Dose newsletter, Field Notes, at infectiousdose.com

    19 Min.

  4. 17. Juni

    S2E25 Listening for Rain: Microbes, Memories, and Summer Storms

    You can smell rain before it arrives. The air changes. The wind shifts. And somehow, before the first drop falls, you already know a storm is coming. In this immersive episode of Infectious Dose, we explore the science behind that experience. We'll follow a summer storm from distant rain clouds to the microbes living beneath our feet, uncovering the roles of petrichor, geosmin, and the remarkable biology behind one of nature's most beloved scents. Along the way, we'll explore why humans are so sensitive to the smell of rain, how storms become tied to memory, and why a single breath of cool air before a summer downpour can transport us years into the past. Part science story. Part sensory journey. Part summer rain.  Experience audio of a real summer storm from Heather's patio Part of our June series: Stories of Summer Rain. Citations in companion blog post at Infectiousdose.com Sign up for the free weekly newsletter, Field Notes

    18 Min.

  5. 10. Juni

    S2E24 The Tick, the Table, and the Timeline: How a Tick Bite Rewrites Dinner

    In this episode of Infectious Dose, Heather explores one of the strangest allergic conditions modern medicine has ever identified: a syndrome in which a tick bite can trigger an allergy to mammalian meat weeks, months, or even years later. Why do symptoms often appear in the middle of the night instead of immediately after a meal? How did a cancer drug help scientists solve the mystery? Where does the alpha-gal molecule come from, and why do ticks seem uniquely capable of triggering this unusual immune response? Join us as we follow the trail from the woods to the dinner table and unravel the science behind alpha-gal syndrome. In this episode: • What alpha-gal syndrome is and how it develops • The surprising role of the Lone Star tick • The cancer drug clue that helped solve the mystery • Why reactions are delayed for hours after eating • Diagnosis, testing, and common misconceptions • Living with AGS and preventing future tick bites • Separating evidence from conspiracy theories Part of our June series, Stories of Summer Rain, this episode explores how warm, wet environments shape the ecosystems around us—and how those ecosystems can unexpectedly shape our health. Referenced resources and scientific citations are available at InfectiousDose.com. Subscribe to Field Notes, the free Infectious Dose newsletter, for weekly Outbreak Watch updates and additional resources.

    40 Min.

  6. 3. Juni

    S2E23 Storm Surge: Microbes in the Wake of a Hurricane

    In this episode of Infectious Dose, Heather explores the infectious disease risks that follow hurricanes, tropical storms, and flooding events. Learn how severe weather changes exposure pathways for pathogens already present in our environment and why recovery can create unique health challenges long after the rain stops. Topics include: • Floodwater and wound infections • Vibrio vulnificus and coastal flooding • Leptospirosis and rodent exposure • Mold and respiratory risks during cleanup • Mosquito blooms after heavy rainfall • Food and water safety after power outages • Building an infectious disease-informed hurricane preparedness kit Plus: A free downloadable Infectious Disease Hurricane Preparedness Guide with checklists, safety tips, emergency reference formulas, and a personal medical information worksheet. Download in companion blog post at Infectious Dose. The storm isn't always the biggest health risk. Sometimes it's the week after. Subscribe to the free Infectious Dose newsletter, Field Notes, here.

    16 Min.

  7. 28. Mai

    Outbreak Watch: Exactly as Expected

    Introducing Outbreak Watch by Infectious Dose. When major outbreaks evolve quickly, Heather will occasionally release these extra episodes featuring timely updates and systems-focused analysis. In this first Outbreak Watch episode, we examine the rapidly escalating Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak in eastern DRC and Uganda alongside the continuing Andes hantavirus cluster linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship. We break down the latest WHO numbers, why Ebola transmission is accelerating through conflict-affected mining corridors, what new genomic and geospatial analyses reveal about the outbreak’s spread, and why public-health responders are struggling to contain it amid violence and instability. We also discuss the newest hantavirus cases emerging internationally weeks after passengers returned home, why the slow appearance of additional cases is expected for Andes virus, and how this cluster has already affected global biocontainment logistics. Finally, we look at the U.S. decision to send exposed Americans to a quarantine facility in Kenya instead of bringing them home for monitoring and treatment — and what that reveals about confidence in domestic public-health systems. Pathogens don’t create emergencies in isolation. They exploit the vulnerabilities we leave open for them.

    17 Min.

  8. 27. Mai

    S2E21 Recorded in Blood: When True Crime Goes Viral

    A nurse in Louisiana receives an HIV diagnosis that doesn’t make sense. No clear exposure. No obvious source. And eventually, investigators begin to suspect something far more disturbing. In this episode of Outbreak After Dark, Heather and Kate explore the real case that brought forensic virology into the courtroom for the first time. Through genetic sequencing and phylogenetic analysis, scientists traced the relationships between viruses to help prosecutors build a criminal case against a physician accused of intentionally infecting his former partner. How can a virus become evidence? What can viral evolution reveal? And how do you explain that science to a jury? This is the story of the case that asked whether a virus could testify. Topics include: Forensic virology Viral mutation and transmission Scientific evidence in criminal court Daubert standards The Richard Schmidt case And because this is Outbreak After Dark, there’s also a menu: • Chain of Custody cocktail • Cold Case File mocktail • Trace Evidence Bites • Gel Run Layers dessert All recipes and citations in the companion blog post at infectiousdose.com Subscribe to the free weekly newsletter, Field Notes, to continue the conversation.

    27 Min.
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Info

Infectious dose is the shot of science you need to protect yourself from misinformation. Heather McSharry, PhD, an expert in viral pathogenesis, brings her blog to the airwaves to help bridge the dangerous gap between the science of infectious diseases and public misperception. On the podcast website, infectiousdose.com, all episodes have corresponding blog posts with the information contained in the episode along with links or PDFs for all sources used. To prevent unwelcome surprises, episodes with limited, mild profanity are marked as explicit. *Podcast intro and outro music are adapted from Heather Nova’s song, I Miss My Sky. Used with permission.

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    Infectious Dose
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    2020 - 2026
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