Microbe Mail

Vindana Chibabhai
Microbe Mail

Are you looking for a medical podcast covering every day issues in diagnostic tests, antimicrobial therapy and management of infections that is relevant to a low or middle income setting? A show that simplifies complex concepts in an easy to follow conversational format? You've come to the right place. This is Microbe Mail - a medical podcast for the busy practitioner or student covering topics in microbiology, infectious diseases and infection control. Sign up to our newsletter to receive updates on new episode releases at: https://microbemail.captivate.fm/ Contact us at mail.microbe@gmail.com

  1. 6D AGO

    Managing menacing Malaria

    In this episode, we take a comprehensive look at malaria management—from selecting the appropriate treatment for each Plasmodium species, to recognising and treating complications, and exploring prophylaxis. Whether you're refreshing your knowledge or managing cases on the front line, this episode is packed with practical insights from our expert, who is back for a 2nd feature episode, Professor Lucille Blumberg. About our Guest: Professor Lucille Blumberg, MB BCH MMed (Clin Micro) ID (SA) FFTM (RCP Glasgow, travel medicine) DTM&H DOH DCH D.Sc. (Med) honoris. She is a highly respected infectious diseases specialist and medical microbiologist, hailing from Johannesburg, who sits on many national and international expert groups. Her contribution to keeping the public safe from infectious disease has been hailed as the epitome of sustainable, groundbreaking research. She has honorary appointments at the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), the Universities of Stellenbosch (Medical Microbiology) and University of Pretoria (Faculty of Veterinary Sciences), South Africa. Her focus is on outbreak prevention and response, emerging diseases, travel-related infections, the viral haemorrhagic fevers, malaria and zoonosis, especially rabies. She is the current chair of the Strategic Advisory Group for Infectious Hazards for the WHO Emergencies Programme and a member of the scientific advisory group for the WHO Neglected Tropical Diseases programme. She is a longstanding member of the National Rabies Advisory Group in South Africa and is the former chair of the South African Malaria Elimination Committee (SAMEC). Prof Blumberg has been involved in the prevention, detection and response to several communicable disease outbreaks, including cholera, typhoid, rabies, the Viral Haemorrhagic Fevers (Lujo, Rift Valley fever, Ebola), influenza (pandemic A H1N1, and Avian Influenza A H5N2) and diphtheria. Her special interests are malaria, rabies, other zoonoses, East African Trypanosomiasis, travel and tropical medicine and border health issues. She has worked with Right to Care as a Technical Scientific Advisor since 2021. She has recently been appointed to the editorial board of the Southern African Journal of Infectious Diseases. Other editorial positions include being African Advisor for the International Journal of Travel Medicine since 2018, and one of three editors for the International Journal of Infectious Diseases since 2017. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she established DATCOV, a national surveillance system for patients with COVID-19 who were hospitalised.  WE'D LOVE YOUR FEEDBACK ON THIS EPISODE – Visit the Microbe Mail website to sign up for updates Follow on: Instagram: Microbe_Mail X/Twitter: @microbemail Facebook: MicrobeMail Tiktok: @microbe.mail Watch this episode on our new YouTube channel: Microbe Mail E-mail us: mail.microbe@gmail.com

    36 min
  2. MAY 13

    From Bite to Brain: Revealing Rabies

    This episode pits man’s best friend against one of man’s deadliest foes—rabies doesn’t play fetch nor does it leave many unscathed. Ruan speaks to one health champion and ID friend to many, Professor Lucille Blumberg, and they talk about the virus that turns loyal companions into lethal threats. How to diagnose it, how it's managed and most importantly how to prevent it. About our Guest: Professor Lucille Blumberg, MB BCH MMed (Clin Micro) ID (SA) FFTM (RCP Glasgow, travel medicine) DTM&H DOH DCH D.Sc. (Med) honoris. She is a highly respected infectious diseases specialist and medical microbiologist, hailing from Johannesburg, who sits on many national and international expert groups. Her contribution to keeping the public safe from infectious disease has been hailed as the epitome of sustainable, groundbreaking research. She has honorary appointments at the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), the Universities of Stellenbosch (Medical Microbiology) and University of Pretoria (Faculty of Veterinary Sciences), South Africa. Her focus is on outbreak prevention and response, emerging diseases, travel-related infections, the viral haemorrhagic fevers, malaria and zoonosis, especially rabies. She is the current chair of the Strategic Advisory Group for Infectious Hazards for the WHO Emergencies Programme and a member of the scientific advisory group for the WHO Neglected Tropical Diseases programme. She is a longstanding member of the National Rabies Advisory Group in South Africa and is the former chair of the South African Malaria Elimination Committee (SAMEC). Prof Blumberg has been involved in the prevention, detection and response to several communicable disease outbreaks, including cholera, typhoid, rabies, the Viral Haemorrhagic Fevers (Lujo, Rift Valley fever, Ebola), influenza (pandemic A H1N1, and Avian Influenza A H5N2) and diphtheria. Her special interests are malaria, rabies, other zoonoses, East African Trypanosomiasis, travel and tropical medicine and border health issues. She has worked with Right to Care as a Technical Scientific Advisor since 2021. She has recently been appointed to the editorial board of the Southern African Journal of Infectious Diseases. Other editorial positions include being African Advisor for the International Journal of Travel Medicine since 2018, and one of three editors for the International Journal of Infectious Diseases since 2017. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she established DATCOV, a national surveillance system for patients with COVID-19 who were hospitalised.  WE'D LOVE YOUR FEEDBACK ON THIS EPISODE – Visit the Microbe Mail website to sign up for updates Follow on: Instagram: Microbe_Mail X/Twitter: @microbemail Facebook: MicrobeMail Tiktok: @microbe.mail Watch this episode on our new YouTube channel: Microbe Mail E-mail us: mail.microbe@gmail.com

    52 min
  3. APR 23

    Malaria vaccines: The French episode

    Dans un monde où une piqûre de moustique peut encore être mortelle, il est réconfortant de savoir que notre mentalité s'oriente désormais vers la prévention et l'élimination. Dans cet épisode, Miriam s'entretient avec le Dr Abdouramane Camara, un lauréat de la Bourse d'accélération de carrière en Afrique et pionnier en immunologie, au sujet des vaccins antipaludiques. À propos de notre invité: Le Dr Abdouramane Camara est chercheur postdoctoral au West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP), à l'Université du Ghana. Après plus de dix ans passés dans plusieurs institutions européennes, il a su forger une solide expertise, le Dr Camara est revenu en Afrique pour contribuer à son avancement scientifique en développant un nouveau test clinique permettant d'évaluer l'efficacité des vaccins à un stade précoce et de prédire la protection à long terme. Ses travaux de recherche visent à élucider les mécanismes impliqués dans la génération des plasmocytes à longue durée de vie et des cellules productrices d’anticorps, ainsi qu’à explorer leur capacité à prédire précocement l’efficacité d’une vaccination. Il s'intéresse particulièrement au paludisme, une maladie endémique dans de nombreux pays africains, et à l'efficacité des nouveaux vaccins antipaludiques. Au-delà du paludisme, il étudie également les vaccins procurant une immunité à long terme, voire à vie, afin de contribuer à l'amélioration de la conception et des stratégies de mise en œuvre des vaccins. Malaria life cycle: Reproduced from PATH's Malaria Vaccines website at www.malariavaccine.org, 2024 Global Malaria programme NOUS AIMERIONS VOTRE AVIS SUR CET ÉPISODE – Visit the Microbe Mail website to sign up for updates Follow on: Instagram: Microbe_Mail X/Twitter: @microbemail Facebook: MicrobeMail Tiktok: @microbe.mail Watch this episode on our new YouTube channel: Microbe Mail E-mail us: mail.microbe@gmail.com

    25 min
  4. APR 23

    Malaria vaccines: The English episode

    In a world where a mosquito bite can still be deadly, it is comforting to know that our mindset has shifted towards prevention and elimination. In this episode, Ruan speaks to a fellow recipient of the African Career Acceleration Fellowship, Dr Abdouramane Camara who is a pioneer in immunology, about malarial vaccines. About our Guest: Dr Abdouramane Camara is a postdoc research fellow at the West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP), University of Ghana. After spending over a decade in various institutions across Europe, gathering immense expertise, Dr Camara has returned to Africa to contribute to its scientific advancement by developing a new clinical test to evaluate the efficacy of vaccines at an early stage and predict long-term protection. His research focuses on understanding the mechanisms underlying the generation of long-lived plasma cells, antibody-secreting cells and their potential to be early predictors of vaccination success. He is particularly interested in malaria, a disease endemic to many African countries, and the efficacy of newly introduced malaria vaccines. Beyond malaria, he is also investigating vaccines that provide long-term or lifelong immunity, aiming to contribute to improved vaccine design and implementation strategies. Malaria life cycle: Reproduced from PATH's Malaria Vaccines website at www.malariavaccine.org, 2024 Global Malaria programme WE'D LOVE YOUR FEEDBACK ON THIS EPISODE – Visit the Microbe Mail website to sign up for updates Follow on: Instagram: Microbe_Mail X/Twitter: @microbemail Facebook: MicrobeMail Tiktok: @microbe.mail Watch this episode on our new YouTube channel: Microbe Mail E-mail us: mail.microbe@gmail.com

    22 min
  5. APR 1

    Empowering AMS: The essential role of Clinical Pharmacists

    Antimicrobial resistance has become one of healthcare's biggest challenges, and in the fight against AMR getting the right drug, the right dose, right indication and the right route is everything. In this episode, we’re exploring the critical role clinical pharmacists play in antimicrobial stewardship (AMS). Join Nonks, the latest microbe messenger to take the mic, as she talks to seasoned clinical pharmacist Ama Annor. About our Guest: Ama Sakoa Annor, is a committed and proactive pharmacist who is trained in comprehensive pharmaceutical care for paediatric patients. She holds an MSc (Med) in Clinical Pharmacy and a DPharm Candidate with six publications. She is currently working at Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital as a ward pharmacist, stationed in the paediatric medical and surgical departments. She is a member of the hospital’s Pharmacy and Therapeutics, AMS, ADR Committee and other sub-committees. She is also affiliated as a mentor with the Clinical Pharmacy Division of the School of Pharmacy of the Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University.   She has a passion for rational antimicrobial use and is privileged to be one of the mentees in the Ohio State University/Nationwide Children's Hospital - South Africa Train-the-Trainer program in the Neonatal Antimicrobial Stewardship Program in 2019. Two of the end products are the recent publications:  “Prospective antimicrobial stewardship interventions by multidisciplinary teams to reduce neonatal antibiotic use in South Africa: the Neonatal Antimicrobial Stewardship (NeoAMS) study”. International Journal of Infectious Diseases 2024-06 | Journal article. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijid.2024.107158 “Defining and responding to the contextual drivers for implementation of antimicrobial stewardship in 14 neonatal units in South Africa”; JAC-Antimicrobial Resistance 2025 Vol. 7 Issue 1  https://doi.org/10.1093/jacamr/dlae222 Facebook: Ama Sakoa Annor Linkedin_ama_sakoa-annor X: @ama_sakoa_annor Instagram: amasakoa Also listen to this: Episode 6: A is for antimicrobial stewardship WE'D LOVE YOUR FEEDBACK ON THIS EPISODE – Visit the Microbe Mail website to sign up for updates Follow on: Instagram: Microbe_Mail X/Twitter: @microbemail Facebook: MicrobeMail Tiktok: @microbe.mail Watch this episode on our new YouTube channel: Microbe Mail E-mail us: a href="mailto:mail.microbe@gmail.com" rel="noopener noreferrer"

    48 min
  6. MAR 4

    Don't hesitate, VACCINATE!

    Vaccinations play an important role in both our individual and community health. They help to prevent serious and sometimes deadly diseases by strengthening our immune system. But in recent years this cost effective method of disease prevention has come under the spot light, drawing attention to some myths and misconceptions. In this episode, Dr Anne von Gottberg dives into the importance of vaccinations, how to handle missed vaccines, vaccine dos and don'ts and recent changes in the Extended Programme onIimmunzation(EPI) in South Africa. About our Guest: Dr Anne von Gottberg is currently the laboratory lead at the Centre for Respiratory Diseases and Meningitis at the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, Johannesburg, South Africa; and Associate Professor within the School of Pathology, Faculty of the Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg; and Honorary Professor, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town. She leads a laboratory team responsible for reference diagnostics for respiratory and meningitis pathogens nationally and regionally. The laboratory is the regional reference laboratory for the World Health Organization (WHO) Vaccine-preventable Invasive Bacterial Diseases (VP-IBD) Coordinated Global Surveillance Network for the southern African region; a National Influenza Centre (NIC); and a global WHO RSV and regional SARS-CoV-2 reference laboratory. She is currently a member of several committees and technical advisory groups for AFRO, Africa CDC and WHO. Her main interests include surveillance for meningitis and respiratory pathogens, assessing vaccine effectiveness where relevant. She has authored or co-authored more than 200 articles in peer-reviewed journals. In addition, she supervises a number of Masters and PhD students. Dr von Gottberg obtained her MBBCh and PhD at the University of the Witwatersrand, and trained for her specialisation in clinical microbiology (FC Path[SA] MICRO) at the National Health Laboratory Service (former South African Institute for Medical Research) and at the University of the Witwatersrand. WE'D LOVE YOUR FEEDBACK ON THIS EPISODE – Visit the Microbe Mail website to sign up for updates Follow on: Instagram: Microbe_Mail X/Twitter: @microbemail Facebook: MicrobeMail Tiktok: @microbe.mail Watch this episode on our new YouTube channel: Microbe Mail E-mail us: mail.microbe@gmail.com

    41 min

About

Are you looking for a medical podcast covering every day issues in diagnostic tests, antimicrobial therapy and management of infections that is relevant to a low or middle income setting? A show that simplifies complex concepts in an easy to follow conversational format? You've come to the right place. This is Microbe Mail - a medical podcast for the busy practitioner or student covering topics in microbiology, infectious diseases and infection control. Sign up to our newsletter to receive updates on new episode releases at: https://microbemail.captivate.fm/ Contact us at mail.microbe@gmail.com

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