Infectious Diseases
Infectious Diseases
Infectious diseases and disasters are inextricably linked. The Haiti 2010 earthquake international response was marred by cholera imported by UN peacekeepers. The Ebola 2014 response was WHO’s largest response to an infectious agent. The COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc internationally and military crises such as the Ukraine conflict exacerbate underlying infectious disease issues within the population. The 2023 Marburg outbreak in Tanzania highlights the principle of Emerging Infectious Diseases, and the need for ongoing disease surveillance, along with an awareness that climate change influences disease epidemiology.
The mission of WADEM Infectious Diseases SIG (ID-SIG) seeks to create an educational platform and a vehicle to facilitate education and collaboration internationally between the Infectious Diseases and Disaster Medicine communities. The ID-SIG seeks to improve understanding and mitigation of disasters that are either infectious diseases in origin or a complication of other disasters.
Infectious Diseases SIG Leadership
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Check out the Infectious Diseases SIG Resources
Dr. Rajeev Fernando drops by the podcast series to discuss concerns about the resurgence of hashtag#measles cases, looking at recent outbreaks in Texas and New Mexico. The MMR vaccine, vaccine hesitancy, and vaccine avoidance were also discussed. Special thanks to Dr. Donald Donahue for moderating.
Image Credit: NIAID (CC BY 2.0)
As 2024 ended, health officials were monitoring the global spread of the H5N1 strain of influenza. Primarily afflicting animals, H5N1 human contraction has been minimal. Influenza viruses are pheromonally adaptable, and the danger to humans can be significant. In WADEM’s first podcast of 2025, Infectious Disease Special Interest Group co-chair Dr. Rajeev Fernando discusses the spread and potential risks of H5N1 “bird flu.”
Image Credit: NIAID (CC BY 2.0)
Recorded – 3 January 2025
After the declaration by the WHO of mpox as a public health emergency of international concern, Dr. Rajeev Fernando joins the podcast series to discuss mpox transmission, vaccines, and the disproportionate impact of viral outbreaks on marginalized and disadvantaged communities.
Image Credit: NIAID (CC BY 2.0)
Recorded – 21 August 2024
Dr. Rajeev Fernando, Co-Chair of the Infectious Disease SIG, discusses concerns about avian flu (H5H1 virus), Covid cases, measles, and vaccine hesitancy. Special thanks to Dr. Don Donahue for moderating.
Image Credit: NIAID (CC BY 2.0)
Recorded – 26 July 2024
Dr. Vijai Bhola provides an overview of the increased number of cases of dengue fever globally. Also discussed are the clinical features of dengue, the role of climate change, vector control and bite avoidance, and the dengue vaccination (Qdenga). Dr. Bhola is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Emory University and the WADEM Infectious Diseases Special Interest Group Co-Chair.
Image Credit: NIAID (CC BY 2.0 DEED)
Recorded – 27 April 2024
Dr. Vijai Bhola, WADEM Infectious Disease SIG Co-Chair, provides a historical overview of polio, the different polio vaccines that are available, and the causes of the recent resurgence of polio cases worldwide.
In the last podcast of this five-part series, Dr. Vijai Bhola discusses new technologies that can be deployed in an austere environment, including portable MRIs, electronic medical records, and in particular, point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS). Here is a link to the article mentioned in the podcast – doi.org/10.1093/milmed/usaa348.
In this podcast, Dr. Bhola discusses how to be prepared for infectious diseases when responding to a disaster, as well as if the infectious disease is the disaster itself.
Dr. Vijai Bhola discusses the relationship between climate change and infectious diseases including vectors, food insecurity, decreased nutrition, and displaced populations. This podcast is the third in a series of five with Dr. Bhola.
Dr. Vijai Bhola rovides some insights and reflections including masking, vaccines, distrust of science/medicine, etc. from the COVID-19 pandemic. This podcast is the second in a series of five with Dr. Bhola.
Dr. Vijai Bhola provides some insight into pandemics (past, present, and future), COVID, and emerging infectious diseases. Dr. Bhola is currently a Fellow in Critical Care Medicine at Einstein/Montefiore Medical School. This podcast is the first in a series of five with Dr. Bhola.
In the podcast, Dr. Rajeev Fernando gives an update on the health impacts of the war on the civilian population in Ukraine after 60 weeks of conflict. Dr. Fernando has regularly been working in Ukraine over the past year with the NGO, Healcorp.
Dr. Rajeev Fernando drops in for the fifth edition of the Infectious Disease Special Interest Group (SIG) podcast series. For this podcast, Dr. Fernando explores the threat that antimicrobial resistance presents for global health touching on a wide range of topics including agricultural production, bioterrorism, and the promise of artificial intelligence.
Dr. Rajeev Fernando drops by the infectious diseases podcast series to discuss current trends around the world including increasing RSV cases, the ongoing state of COVID-19, and the upcoming influenza season in the Northern Hemisphere. Also highlighted are the recent weather events in Pakistan and Florida and the successes against the spread of monkeypox.
WADEM Infectious Disease SIG Co-chair, Dr. Rajeev Fernando, discusses the slow-moving disaster of famine in the Horn of Africa. Recently back from providing care in Ethiopia, Dr. Fernando provides some perspective on the multiple factors contributing to the ongoing food insecurity issues there, as well as the famine’s impact on communicable and non-communicable diseases in the region.
Dr. Rajeev Fernando drops by the podcast series for a new infectious diseases update this time focusing on the increasing cases of COVID-19 around the world due to the BA.5 subvariant.
In this podcast, infectious disease specialist, Dr. Rajeev Fernando shares his insights about the monkeypox virus and why there are new cases globally, if the public should be alarmed, are there any stigmas associated with monkeypox, and if there will be new variants like SARS-CoV-2.
