108 News: Toxoplasmosis!

06/12/24 • 34 min

Our podcast takes the form of a news broadcast that covers a real outbreak of toxoplasmosis, the most common parasitic disease in the world, that occurred in a small
village in Brazil in 2001. A toxoplasmosis expert and a woman who had been infected
share their knowledge on this perplexing disease.
Produced by Rebeca Lopez-Rosas, Derek Lance and Amy Shimizu.

These podcast episodes were created by members of the 2024 Spring Capstone course in the Human Biology and Society major at UCLA's Institute for Society and Genetics (https://socgen.ucla.edu/). The faculty sponsor is Christopher Kelty. For questions or concerns email [email protected]. For more information about any of these diseases please consult the US Centers for Disease Control (https://www.cdc.gov/) .

Previous Episode

Down in the Dirt: Digging Deep Into Valley Fever

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Next Episode

The Mystery of Virulent Newcastle Disease

In this episode, we delve into the devastating impact of VirulentNewcastle Disease (VND) on backyard bird owners in Southern California. Following Kerri Hand's story, we uncover the harsh reality of state-run culling protocols. Through sound clips and interviews, we explore the heartbreak of families who see their pets as family members. We examine the broader implications of the 2018-2019 outbreak, which led to the culling of over 1.2 million birds and significant financial costs. We also discuss the political and economic factors behind the preference for eradication over vaccination and the ethical challenges involved. Join us as we explore the complexities of controlling VND and consider alternative approaches to protect birds.
Produced by Cara Weigand and Maanasi Kademani