The microbiology of double-dipping
Category: General biology
The science of Seinfeld: does double-dipping a chip really contaminate the chip dip?
Posted by Tara C. Smith at 8:30 AM • 24 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Aetiology
Discussing causes, origins, evolution, and implications of disease and other phenomena.
Profile
Tara C. Smith is an Assistant Professor of Epidemiology. Her research involves a number of pathogens at the animal-human nexus. She also writes for The Panda's Thumb and previously for WIRED SCIENCE's Correlations. Please note the views expressed on this site are Dr. Smith's alone and may not be representative of the groups mentioned above.
"...a veritable expert on tawdry cosmetic procedures gone horribly awry..."--Kevin Beck
Follow Tara on Twitter
Search
Recent Posts
- Great Plains Emerging Diseases Conference
- Infectious disease epidemiology and zombies
- MRSA in pork products: does the "antibiotic-free" label make a difference?
- Castrating sheep with teeth: not a good idea (with video!)
- Is the HPV vaccine "weak science?" (Hint: no)
- Climate change and public health
- Does bestiality increase your risk of penile cancer?
- MRSA found in Iowa meat
- Another advantage of blogging
- Chickenpox parties--just a Facebook friend away
Recent Comments
- Tabelacı on Rock Stars of Science, part deux: coming to a GQ near you
- Johnny RN/EMT on Administration: overdose antidote not good public health policy
- gingerest on Infectious disease epidemiology and zombies
- Atif (Mr Epidemiology) on Infectious disease epidemiology and zombies
- Eric Lofgren on Infectious disease epidemiology and zombies
- Alyson Kelvin on Infectious disease epidemiology and zombies
- Deborah on Scarlet fever--past and present
- afrika mangosu on MRSA in pork products: does the "antibiotic-free" label make a difference?
- david on Fecal transplants to cure Clostridium difficile infection
- medschneverends on Is the HPV vaccine "weak science?" (Hint: no)
Archives
- February 2012
- January 2012
- December 2011
- November 2011
- August 2011
- July 2011
- June 2011
- May 2011
- April 2011
- March 2011
- February 2011
- November 2010
- October 2010
- September 2010
- August 2010
- July 2010
- April 2010
- February 2010
- December 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- June 2009
- May 2009
- April 2009
- March 2009
- February 2009
- January 2009
- December 2008
- November 2008
- October 2008
- September 2008
- August 2008
- July 2008
- June 2008
- May 2008
- April 2008
- March 2008
- February 2008
- January 2008
- December 2007
- November 2007
- October 2007
- September 2007
- August 2007
- July 2007
- June 2007
- May 2007
- April 2007
- March 2007
- February 2007
- January 2007
- December 2006
- November 2006
- October 2006
- September 2006
- August 2006
- July 2006
- June 2006
- May 2006
- April 2006
- March 2006
- February 2006
- January 2006
- December 2005
- November 2005
- October 2005
- September 2005
- May 2005
Infectious Disease Series
January 31, 2008
January 29, 2008
Texas: still bass-ackwards on public health
Category: Infectious disease
Just when you think they can't sink any farther....they do.
Posted by Tara C. Smith at 9:15 AM • 6 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
January 28, 2008
Turtles: not a kid's best friend
Category: General Epidemiology
Turtles: not so adorable when they're carrying Salmonella.
Posted by Tara C. Smith at 11:30 AM • 14 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Administration: overdose antidote not good public health policy
Category: Public health
Why would anyone be opposed to an effective, cheap treatment for heroin overdose?
Posted by Tara C. Smith at 10:30 AM • 12 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
January 25, 2008
What would it take to wipe out human rabies?
Category: General Epidemiology
The rabies vaccine was one of the early public health success stories. Why, then, are millions of people still infected with the rabies virus every year--with a death from the virus occurring every ten minutes?
Posted by Tara C. Smith at 11:00 AM • 72 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
January 23, 2008
Did Yersinia pestis really cause Black Plague? Part 4: Plague in modern times
Category: General biology
Though there still may be some lingering doubt about the cause of the Black Death and subsequent outbreaks of plague, the pathogen behind the outbreaks that have taken place in the last 150 years or so is much less ambiguous. What is the current state of plague epidemiology, and what does the future hold?
Posted by Tara C. Smith at 10:24 AM • 11 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
January 21, 2008
Back (barely) from the NC Science Blogging Conference
Category: Blogging news
As I mentioned previously, I spent the weekend in North Carolina discussing blogging, science, medicine, and other sundry topics with about 200 other bloggers and interested folks at the 2008 Science Blogging Conference. The sessions were excellent, and I loved...
Posted by Tara C. Smith at 3:50 PM • 2 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
January 18, 2008
Did Yersinia pestis really cause Black Plague? Part 3: Paleomicrobiology and the detection of Y. pestis in corpses
Category: General Epidemiology
When looking for the cause of historical outbreaks, symptoms only get us so far. How can we use DNA analysis to help confirm (or reject) a hypothesis about causation?
Posted by Tara C. Smith at 9:00 AM • 22 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
January 17, 2008
Did Yersinia pestis really cause Black Plague? Part 2: Examination of the criticisms
Category: General biology
I discussed yesterday an "alternative" hypothesis for causation of the Black Death and subsequent plague outbreaks. How robust are those claims?
Posted by Tara C. Smith at 8:30 AM • 5 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
January 16, 2008
MDR CA-MRSA in MSM*
Category: Antibiotic resistance
*Multi-drug resistant community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in men who have sex with men: aka, MRSA hits another new risk group.
Posted by Tara C. Smith at 4:00 PM • 3 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Previous
Next
