Given the ongoing outbreak of H7N9 flu in China (and, now, also Taiwan), this is a good time to
listen to a fascinating podcast discussion with David Quammen. Quammen recently published a FANTASTIC book,
Spillover, about zoonoses — the diseases that humans contract from animals. This includes bird flus like H7N9. It also includes AIDS and a whole host of familiar viruses and bacteria. Bonus: Scary disease girl Maryn McKenna has a cameo in the podcast, discussing the way news media (in China and the US) are covering H7N9 and
what you can do to better understand what's happening.
— Maggie
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Looking for a quick rundown of basic information about the new strain of bird flu that's infecting people in China?
The Toronto Star's Jennifer Yang has a great, one-page breakdown that will get you caught up on just about everything you need to know — including how scared you should be. For the record, the answer to that is complicated. We aren't near a pandemic yet. But we do need to get a better handle on understanding how this virus works so we can stop it from spreading. It's a serious situation and the news is not all good news. But we don't seem to be at a point where anybody outside of China and the international public health community should be in an urgent crisis mode.
— Maggie
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Flu season is in winter. Okay, great.
But why? (Consider this an open thread for all your favorite humidifier recommendations.)
— Maggie
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Short answer: We don't know. Despite its ubiquity, there's a lot scientists don't know about the influenza virus. Helen Branswell is a great medical reporter. In this piece for the Winnipeg Free Press she explains why the flu virus makes seemingly simple questions frustratingly difficult to answer.
— Maggie
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