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Infectious is a bi-weekly podcast about the diseases that maim, kill, and well... just give us a stuffy nose. Each episode explores the mysterious microbes, medical treatments, intriguing biology, historical tales, and the spectacular efforts underway to reduce these illnesses deathly grasp on humanity. Because sometimes the scariest things in life are right under our fingertips.
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Ep 7 Scabies (Pt 3): Hildegard has got it going on
57:18
57:18
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This episode we'll be wrapping up our three-part series on Scabies, an infectious skin mite that is spread through skin-to-skin contact. We'll learn the history of the scientific study of the mite, from the Bible to the writings of Saint Hildegard of Bingen (the most bad ass nun you've ever heard of). There'll be stories of secret identities and ta…
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Ep 6 Scabies (Pt 2): It started with an itch
37:47
37:47
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Have you been looking for a good reason to not hold strangers' hands anymore? Ever wondered how exactly a parasite can live in your skin for months without you even noticing? Have you ever asked yourself, "How does my skin react to pathogens?" Oh... do I have an episode for you and your inner hypochondriac. This week we'll be covering how the infec…
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Ep 5 Scabies (Pt 1) : One more reason to get that rash checked out
33:54
33:54
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In this episode, we'll be covering the first part of a three-part series on our new favourite disease.... SCABIES! For our start to this harrowing journey, we'll be covering everything to do with Sarcoptes scabiei (var hominins), the itsy bitsy mite approximately the size of a grain of salt that causes uncontrollable itching in the bodies of those …
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Ep 4 River Blindness/Onchocerciasis: One more reason to swat that fly on your sandwich
1:32:17
1:32:17
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Ready to really feel your skin crawl? Then this month's episode on Onchocerca volvulus, a parasite that is able to infiltrate into the eye and skin to cause intense itching and blindness, might just be the one for you! We'll learn all about why this communicable disease earned the nickname "River Blindness", its mysterious linkage to seizures, the …
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Ep 3 Campylobacteriosis: One more reason to hate Canadian Geese
1:21:31
1:21:31
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This week we'll take a deeper look into Campylobacter, one of the most prolific bacteria you might have never heard of. We'll cover the myriad of ways that you can contract this little agent (obstacle courses anyone?), why cuddling your pet chicken might just be a one way trip to the toilet, and the chilling reality of a rare outcome of this foodbo…
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Ep 2 Syphilis: Mercury Saunas and Transatlantic Travel
1:12:51
1:12:51
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This week we'll take a sexy journey through history following the evolution of Syphilis from its tenuous origins in the Americas to the havoc it has caused around the globe. Together, we'll learn more about how the bacteria managed to traverse the Atlantic Ocean in 1493, the weird and errr... creative? ways it was treated throughout history, and wh…
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Ep 1 Kuru: One more reason why you shouldn‘t eat Grandma
46:53
46:53
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In Episode 1 we're talking about Kuru, AKA "The Laughing Death", the first infectious spongiform encephalopathy (I dare you to say that 10 times fast) to be discovered and described among humans. We'll dive straight into the heart of the Kuru epidemic in Papua New Guinea, describe its mysterious and intriguing origins, and tell you everything you n…
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