Outbreaks Episodes

On today's episode, ASTHO Vice President of Health Security, Meredith Allen, tells us about the ongoing monitoring response tied to an outbreak of the Andes strain of hantavirus linked to the cruise ship MV Hondius. Later, Emily Lapayowker, assistant director of web content at ASTHO talks about Global Accessibility Awareness Day.

Today: Ben Lopman, professor at Emory University's Rollins School of Public Health, discusses the new Vaccine Impact Map. Later, Bryan Patenaude, associate professor at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, breaks down the financial realities of measles outbreaks and why even relatively small outbreaks can carry massive costs.

On today's episode, CDC's Jason Asher joins us to explain how new data tools are transforming detection and response to infectious diseases.

On today's episode, ASTHO member Brannon Traxler shares the latest on South Carolina’s measles outbreak response. Then, ASTHO's Heather Tomlinson breaks down the growing presence of kratom in the U.S.

On today's episode, Allison Wheeler from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment shares how her team detected measles in wastewater before clinical cases appeared, helping local partners identify an outbreak early to act quickly. Then, Ziad Kazzi from Emory University breaks down what a radiological incident really looks like, from accidental exposures to nuclear incidents, and what a manageable response looks like.

What does the future of public health look like when cutting-edge technology collides with persistent, preventable disease threats? Senior Vice President of Health at ICF and ASTHO alum John Auerbach joins us to break down how artificial intelligence can be responsibly and realistically introduced into public health workflows. He outlines five practical, low-cost steps agencies of any size can take to start using AI today, explains the leadership mindset needed to build staff confidence, and explores how AI can both spread and counter misinformation when used thoughtfully. Later, Jessica Baggett, senior advisor for public health strategy and response at ASTHO, unpacks why measles elimination status is back in the spotlight after the worst year for measles cases in more than 30 years.

In this episode, ASTHO member and Michigan Department of Health & Human Services Chief Medical Executive Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian breaks down a major development in national vaccine policy: the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices' (ACIP’s) decision to narrow its guidance on the hepatitis B vaccine for newborns.