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Infectious DoseAuthor: Infectious Dose
Infectious dose is the shot of science you need to protect yourself from misinformation. Heather McSharry, PhD, an expert in viral pathogenesis, brings her blog to the airwaves to help bridge the dangerous gap between the science of infectious diseases and public misperception. On the podcast website, infectiousdose.com, all episodes have corresponding blog posts with the information contained in the episode along with links or PDFs for all sources used. To prevent unwelcome surprises, episodes with limited, mild profanity are marked as explicit. *Podcast intro and outro music are adapted from Heather Novas song, I Miss My Sky. Used with permission. Language: en Genres: Life Sciences, Science Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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S2E6 The Syphilis Surge: Echoes of Betrayal in a Broken Health System
Episode 6
Tuesday, 10 February, 2026
Syphilis is back—and it never really left. In this episode, we break down how a curable, preventable infection is resurging to cause a public health crisis across the U.S., and globally, especially among pregnant people and newborns. We unpack the science behind Treponema pallidum, the public health failures driving the crisis, and why trust in health systems is still broken—from Tuskegee to today. Plus: what you need to know about testing, treatment, and why a shot of penicillin makes all the difference. Sources at Infectiousdose.com
