The consequences of refusal
Category: General Epidemiology
Now appearing at your neighborhood McDonald's: chicken pox parties?
Posted by Tara C. Smith at 3:07 PM • 20 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
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Discussing causes, origins, evolution, and implications of disease and other phenomena.
Tara C. Smith is an Assistant Professor of Epidemiology. Her research involves a number of pathogens at the animal-human nexus. Additionally, she is the founder of Iowa Citizens for Science and 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
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Category: General Epidemiology
Now appearing at your neighborhood McDonald's: chicken pox parties?
Posted by Tara C. Smith at 3:07 PM • 20 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: General Epidemiology
Taking a brief hiatus from my hiatus to discuss a question I've been asked a number of times in recent weeks by friends and family: what about flu shots? Are you getting one for yourself? Your kids? The answer is...
Posted by Tara C. Smith at 11:51 AM • 51 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: General Epidemiology
Influenza, an editor rants about anti-vaxxers, and essay contest winners!
Posted by Tara C. Smith at 2:10 PM • 15 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: General biology
Basic influenza biology, school closing and pandemic mitigation, and the underappreciated and underfunded role of our public health system in these issues...
Posted by Tara C. Smith at 12:10 PM • 11 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: General biology
Nick Anthis has a very nice (and very readable!) overview of why flu viruses (including the new A/H1N1 strain) are resistant to adamantane, one of the antiviral drugs that can be used to treat influenza infections....
Posted by Tara C. Smith at 10:45 AM • 21 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: General Epidemiology
What's the big deal, and why predict the "aporkalypse"?
Posted by Tara C. Smith at 2:10 PM • 22 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Infectious disease
It was only a matter of time: Iowa Gov. Chet Culver says the state has two probable causes of swine flu. Speaking Wednesday at a Statehouse news conference, Culver told reporters that officials would know Thursday if the cases are...
Posted by Tara C. Smith at 8:20 PM • 7 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Infectious disease
Brandon Keim at WiredScience has a new article on swine flu genomics. "This is what we call a reassortment between two currently circulating pig flu viruses," said Andrew Rambaut, a University of Edinburgh viral geneticist. "Why it's emerged in humans...
Posted by Tara C. Smith at 2:20 PM • 10 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Infectious disease
New states confirm infections, and the first US death from this strain
Posted by Tara C. Smith at 1:40 PM • 12 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: General Epidemiology
Has this swine flu caused a previous human outbreak?
Posted by Tara C. Smith at 11:35 PM • 28 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
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