Germ & Worm

Drs. Paul Pottinger and Chris Sanford
  • 5.0 (30)
  • MEDICINE
  • UPDATED DAILY

Internationally-renowned travel health experts, Drs. Paul Pottinger and Chris Sanford, answer your most pressing (and most embarrassing) questions on maintaining good health during your global travels.

  1. 86: There's a Rat in Me Toilet... What Am I Gonna Do?

    5D AGO

    86: There's a Rat in Me Toilet... What Am I Gonna Do?

    Bat haiyo ne? Today, travel medicine specialists Drs. Paul Pottinger & Chris Sanford answer your travel health questions, including: Rats in the toilets of Seattle… REALLY?Health and safety concerns when considering travel to Myanmar?New vaccine for Nipah Virus Infection: Ready for prime time?Should I be screened for TB after a trip?Should I purchase evacuation insurance?What are my options for planetwide communications now? We hope you enjoy this podcast! If so, please follow us on the socials @germ.and.worm, subscribe to our RSS feed and share with your friends! We would so appreciate your rating and review to help us grow our audience. And, please visit our website: germandworm.com where you can find all our content and send us your questions and travel health anecdotes. Or, just send us an email: germandworm@gmail.com. Our Disclaimer: The Germ and Worm Podcast is designed to inform, inspire, and entertain. However, this podcast does NOT establish a doctor-patient relationship, and it should NOT replace your conversation with a qualified healthcare professional. Please see one before your next adventure. The opinions in this podcast are Dr. Sanford’s & Dr. Pottinger’s alone, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the University of Washington or UW Medicine.

    31 min
  2. 85: Hotel Health: How to Avoid Hotel Hell!

    JAN 27

    85: Hotel Health: How to Avoid Hotel Hell!

    Ayubowan! Today, travel medicine specialists Drs. Paul Pottinger & Chris Sanford answer your travel health questions, including: Bed bugs–how to sniff them out!The hotel ice machine–safe to use?Drinking safely at the bar–can it be done?Laundry: How gross can it get?Is my shower safe to use?What about the hotel pool–will it make me sick?Carbon monoxide and other toxins–can we avoid them?Drinking at the hotel bar–how to do it safely?Tips for safe & successful taxi rides?What hotel amenities should you anticipate–and which ones are rarely found? We hope you enjoy this podcast! If so, please follow us on the socials @germ.and.worm, subscribe to our RSS feed and share with your friends! We would so appreciate your rating and review to help us grow our audience. And, please visit our website: germandworm.com where you can find all our content and send us your questions and travel health anecdotes. Or, just send us an email: germandworm@gmail.com. Our Disclaimer: The Germ and Worm Podcast is designed to inform, inspire, and entertain. However, this podcast does NOT establish a doctor-patient relationship, and it should NOT replace your conversation with a qualified healthcare professional. Please see one before your next adventure. The opinions in this podcast are Dr. Sanford’s & Dr. Pottinger’s alone, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the University of Washington or UW Medicine.

    34 min
  3. 84: Air Pollution in New Delhi: Say it Ain’t So

    JAN 20

    84: Air Pollution in New Delhi: Say it Ain’t So

    Vanakkam! Today, travel medicine specialists Drs. Paul Pottinger & Chris Sanford answer your travel health questions, including: Why should I visit Japan? https://www.japan.travel/en/us/Is COVID-19 immunization safe during pregnancy?Is there really malaria now in Westchester County?What should people do to stay safe if caught in a flood?New drugs for gonorrhea: Too good to be true?Is AI ready for prime-time in travel health?What antibiotics are best for sinusitis, and how long should I take them?Just how bad is the air in New Delhi, and what can I do about it? We hope you enjoy this podcast! If so, please follow us on the socials @germ.and.worm, subscribe to our RSS feed and share with your friends! We would so appreciate your rating and review to help us grow our audience. And, please visit our website: germandworm.com where you can find all our content and send us your questions and travel health anecdotes. Or, just send us an email: germandworm@gmail.com. Our Disclaimer: The Germ and Worm Podcast is designed to inform, inspire, and entertain. However, this podcast does NOT establish a doctor-patient relationship, and it should NOT replace your conversation with a qualified healthcare professional. Please see one before your next adventure. The opinions in this podcast are Dr. Sanford’s & Dr. Pottinger’s alone, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the University of Washington or UW Medicine.

    28 min
  4. 83: Which is worse: Jungles or Airport Jungle Gyms?

    JAN 13

    83: Which is worse: Jungles or Airport Jungle Gyms?

    Kaya! Today, travel medicine specialists Drs. Paul Pottinger & Chris Sanford answer your travel health questions, including: Why should I visit Patagonia?What is an FDA box warning, and why are they considering putting one on COVID-19 vaccines?Will the shingles vaccine reduce my risk of developing dementia?How reliable are vaccines I can get overseas?Can skydiving happen safely?Are they really putting exercise equipment in airport terminals?When am I safe to fly after a cold? We hope you enjoy this podcast! If so, please follow us on the socials @germ.and.worm, subscribe to our RSS feed and share with your friends! We would so appreciate your rating and review to help us grow our audience. And, please visit our website: germandworm.com where you can find all our content and send us your questions and travel health anecdotes. Or, just send us an email: germandworm@gmail.com. Our Disclaimer: The Germ and Worm Podcast is designed to inform, inspire, and entertain. However, this podcast does NOT establish a doctor-patient relationship, and it should NOT replace your conversation with a qualified healthcare professional. Please see one before your next adventure. The opinions in this podcast are Dr. Sanford’s & Dr. Pottinger’s alone, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the University of Washington or UW Medicine.

    31 min
  5. 82: Staying Healthy on the Hill--Brought to you by Climbing the Seven Summits

    JAN 6

    82: Staying Healthy on the Hill--Brought to you by Climbing the Seven Summits

    Today, travel medicine specialists Drs. Paul Pottinger & Chris Sanford talk with Caroline Pemberton, Co-Owner of Climbing the Seven Summits. Our focus: How to stay healthy when pursuing tall mountains on big expeditions. Questions we tackle include: How does the immune system work?What can people do to prevent infections before they leave home?What vaccines are useful?Should someone isolate from others in the month before departure?Is it possible to overtrain?What tricks can people use to stay healthy when approaching base camp?Is it advisable to take acetazolamide?What about stress and anxiety--how can these be managed?How about vitamins--helpful, or a scam?Macronutrients--how many calories do you need per day?How can you stimulate your appetite?What if you get sick on the upper mountain? We hope you enjoy this podcast! If so, please follow us on the socials @germ.and.worm, subscribe to our RSS feed and share with your friends! We would so appreciate your rating and review to help us grow our audience. And, please visit our website: germandworm.com where you can find all our content and send us your questions and travel health anecdotes. Or, just send us an email: germandworm@gmail.com. You can also catch this episode on our YouTube channel, or at the CTSS webinar page. Our Disclaimer: The Germ and Worm Podcast is designed to inform, inspire, and entertain. However, this podcast does NOT establish a doctor-patient relationship, and it should NOT replace your conversation with a qualified healthcare professional. Please see one before your next adventure. The opinions in this podcast are Dr. Sanford’s & Dr. Pottinger’s alone, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the University of Washington or UW Medicine.

    1h 32m
  6. 81: Deep Dive with Dr. Greg Davis on SCUBA Health

    12/30/2025

    81: Deep Dive with Dr. Greg Davis on SCUBA Health

    Ungil tutau! Today, travel medicine specialists Drs. Greg Davis, Paul Pottinger, and Chris Sanford answer your SCUBA health questions, including: How should someone get into SCUBA diving?What should you look for when choosing a diving operator?What ENT issues should someone be aware of when diving?What if someone has a cold or allergy symptoms before they dive?What if you get a bloody nose when diving?When descending, what sings tell me that I should head for the surface?What can people do if they have Eustachian tube dysfunction?What are the chances that Eustachian tube dilation will work permanently?What is DAN?How soon can someone fly home after diving?Can we trust dive computers, instead of tables?What would you include in a dive boat first-aid kit?What are the best ways to equalize your ears when you dive--beyond Valsalva? Please learn more about Dr. Davis's practice at www.gregdavismd.com. We hope you enjoy this podcast! If so, please follow us on the socials @germ.and.worm, subscribe to our RSS feed and share with your friends! We would so appreciate your rating and review to help us grow our audience. And, please visit our website: germandworm.com where you can find all our content and send us your questions and travel health anecdotes. Or, just send us an email: germandworm@gmail.com. Our Disclaimer: The Germ and Worm Podcast is designed to inform, inspire, and entertain. However, this podcast does NOT establish a doctor-patient relationship, and it should NOT replace your conversation with a qualified healthcare professional. Please see one before your next adventure. The opinions in this podcast are Dr. Davis's, Dr. Sanford’s & Dr. Pottinger’s alone, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the University of Washington or UW Medicine.

    34 min
  7. 80: Germ & Worm's New Years Travel Resolutions

    12/22/2025

    80: Germ & Worm's New Years Travel Resolutions

    Alii! Today, travel medicine specialists Drs. Paul Pottinger & Chris Sanford answer your travel health questions, including: Why should I visit Antarctica?What new-years travel resolutions should I embrace?Probiotics: Will they prevent traveler’s diarrhea?Tell me more about the new iPhone earbud interpretation feature (babelfish?)What is going on with pneumonia vaccine approval process at FDA?Tips for avoiding getting scammed when traveling?What is up with a new coronavirus discovered in Brazil? We hope you enjoy this podcast! If so, please follow us on the socials @germ.and.worm, subscribe to our RSS feed and share with your friends! We would so appreciate your rating and review to help us grow our audience. And, please visit our website: germandworm.com where you can find all our content and send us your questions and travel health anecdotes. Or, just send us an email: germandworm@gmail.com. Our Disclaimer: The Germ and Worm Podcast is designed to inform, inspire, and entertain. However, this podcast does NOT establish a doctor-patient relationship, and it should NOT replace your conversation with a qualified healthcare professional. Please see one before your next adventure. The opinions in this podcast are Dr. Sanford’s & Dr. Pottinger’s alone, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the University of Washington or UW Medicine.

    31 min
  8. 79: Don't Tox with Strangers

    12/16/2025

    79: Don't Tox with Strangers

    Mogethin! Today, travel medicine specialists Drs. Paul Pottinger & Chris Sanford answer your travel health questions, including: Why should I visit Uganda? https://exploreuganda.com/Is there dengue fever in India--and if so, what should I do about it?What just happened with hepatitis B immunizations in the USA?Can I trust US Dept of State travel safety advisories?What can go wrong if I self-administer botox?What's the best way to get a domestic supply of my medications when abroad?Do we have evidence for RSV vaccine effectiveness? We hope you enjoy this podcast! If so, please follow us on the socials @germ.and.worm, subscribe to our RSS feed and share with your friends! We would so appreciate your rating and review to help us grow our audience. And, please visit our website: germandworm.com where you can find all our content and send us your questions and travel health anecdotes. Or, just send us an email: germandworm@gmail.com. Our Disclaimer: The Germ and Worm Podcast is designed to inform, inspire, and entertain. However, this podcast does NOT establish a doctor-patient relationship, and it should NOT replace your conversation with a qualified healthcare professional. Please see one before your next adventure. The opinions in this podcast are Dr. Sanford’s & Dr. Pottinger’s alone, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the University of Washington or UW Medicine.

    34 min
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About

Internationally-renowned travel health experts, Drs. Paul Pottinger and Chris Sanford, answer your most pressing (and most embarrassing) questions on maintaining good health during your global travels.

Information

  • Creator
    Drs. Paul Pottinger and Chris Sanford
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    86
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Drs. Paul Pottinger and Chris Sanford
  • Show Website
    Germ & Worm

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