Episode 166: Infectious Diseases Roulette
In this episode, Dr. Osterholm and Chris Dall cover the latest infectious disease news on topics including H5N1, mpox, measles, and polio. Dr. Osterholm also answers an ID query on updated COVID-19 vaccines and gives his thoughts on a controversial study on Paxlovid.
Chris Dall: Hello and welcome to the Osterholm update, a podcast on COVID-19 and other infectious diseases with Doctor Michael Osterholm. Doctor Osterholm is an internationally recognized medical detective and director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, or CIDRAP, at the University of Minnesota. In this podcast, Doctor Osterholm draws on nearly 50 years of experience investigating infectious disease outbreaks to provide straight talk on the latest infectious disease and public health threats. I'm Chris Dahl, reporter for CIDRAP news, and I'm your host for these conversations. Welcome back, everyone, to another episode of The Osterholm Update podcast. On September 6th, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention announced confirmation of a human case of an H5 avian influenza infection in Missouri. It was the 14th case of H5 reported in the United States in 2024. But unlike the 13 other cases, there was no known occupational exposure to sick or infected animals. The patient, who was identified through the state's seasonal flu surveillance system, was treated with influenza antiviral medications discharged from the hospital and has recovered, though no ongoing transmission has been identified. Missouri has not had any reported H5 outbreaks in dairy cattle, and its last avian flu outbreak was in February. The question surrounding this case will be among the topics we'll tackle on this September 19th episode of the podcast, after we bring you the latest on COVID-19. We'll also dive into a controversial new study on Paxlovid, bringing you updates on developments in Africa's mpox outbreak. Take a look at the latest data on seasonal influenza and measles. Answer an ID query on the updated COVID vaccines and discuss polio in Gaza. And we'll bring you the latest installment of This Week in Public health history. But before we get started, we'll begin with Doctor Osterholm's opening comments and dedication.
Michael Osterholm: Thanks, Chris, and welcome back to all the podcast members. It's wonderful to be with you. And for those who might be listening for the first time, I hope we're able to provide you with the kind of information you're looking for. Is surely our intent to make this a time that you find you invested wisely in getting this information. Before I begin, Chris, I want to take this opportunity to thank a number of the listeners who contacted me in the past week and a half about your challenges of not only locating the Novavax vaccine and being charged for the dose of vaccine as a Medicare patient. As a result of these inquiries, I contacted the Department of Health and Human Services and specifically the Center for Medicare Services, and the director of that program was surprised to learn that Novavax was not being provided free of charge to all Medicare patients. Well, it was an error, a coding error. Within two days, there was an alert that went out from the Center for Medicare Services office to all of the vaccine vendors, those that administer vaccines like Walgreens, CVS, etc., making it clear that in fact, Novavax vaccine should be paid for. So I think we're really at a good point right now in terms of the Novavax vaccine, where it's both available and widely available.
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