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Aetiology

Discussing causes, origins, evolution, and implications of disease and other phenomena.

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"...a veritable expert on tawdry cosmetic procedures gone horribly awry..."--Kevin Beck

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 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.

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Infectious Disease Series

Outbreak:

Mumps in the midwest: a 2006 retrospective

How did mumps make a resurgence in 2006? A new paper examines the factors.

The threat of emerging poxviruses: replacements for smallpox?

1980 marked a milestone in infectious disease epidemiology: the World Health Organization declared the smallpox virus eradicated in the wild. However, while smallpox currently exists only in frozen stocks, poxviruses as a class certainly haven't disappeared. A related virus, monkeypox,...

The ABCs (and DEGs) of hepatitis viruses

Hepatitis viruses are making news around the world; find a roundup of the various types (and their basic epidemiology) here.

Measles outbreak in San Diego charter school

Four cases of measles have now been confirmed at a San Diego charter school--the first reported outbreak of measles in school-age kids in that city in 17 years. Unsurprising twist: None of the children, including the one most recently reported...

Turtles: not a kid's best friend

Turtles: not so adorable when they're carrying Salmonella.

What's it like to work an Ebola outbreak?

Ever wondered what it was like to step into (and try to end) an Ebola outbreak? I interviewed Zoe Young and Armand Sprecher of Médecins Sans Frontières, who helped out in the Democratic Republic of Congo outbreak this fall.

New (as yet unnamed) Ebola strain found in Uganda

Ebola simmers in Uganda...

Tuberculosis as a zoonotic disease

MRSA from swine, now TB from captive elephants?

Chikungunya--in India, Italy, and Iowa

Chikungunya travels 'round the world...where will it pop up next?

Newly discovered Ebola viruses: filling in gaps in viral ecology

Ebola marches on...but just how has it spread across Africa?

A perfect winter storm developing?

Influenza, staph and resistance to vaccination: not a good combination.

Update on Tasmanian Devil cancer

More insight into why this strange cancer is killing Tasmanian devils--and why they can't fight it off.

Attack of the killer amoebae

Deaths from rare amoeba increase this year.

Ebola outbreak confirmed in Democratic Republic of Congo

Ebola strikes again in the DRC.

Life imitates art imitating life

Anthrax outbreak: ripped from the headlines!

Worst measles epidemic in 20 years in Britain

Denial has real consequences-- MMR plea by doctors as measles cases treble in 11 weeks:...

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