Down in the Dirt: Digging Deep Into Valley Fever

Dive into the history and contemporary relevance of the hantavirus, a deadly zoonotic disease that first emerged in the American Southwest. Our podcast explores the 1993 Four Corners outbreak that significantly impacted the Navajo Nation, delving into the scientific discoveries, epidemiological challenges, and cultural responses to this mysterious virus. We'll take you through the 2012 Yosemite outbreak, revealing how a popular national park became the epicenter of another hantavirus scare, and the measures taken to contain it.

In light of recent events, we draw compelling parallels between these hantavirus outbreaks and the COVID-19 pandemic, examining how similarities in respiratory symptoms can complicate diagnoses and treatment. As we look to the future, we consider the potential for hantavirus to become a larger threat and discuss preventive strategies to mitigate the risk of future pandemics.
Produced by Bella Valente, Chloe Nelson, and Sara Herro.

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/) .