Monday, July 31, 2023

Arthro-Pod EP 141: Exploring Alpha-Gal Part One

Hello bug lovers! Over the next two episodes, the Arthro-Pod gang is going to explore the science behind alpha-gal, also known as the red meat allergy. This is a hot topic in the US right now, with many news outlets talking about the possible extent to which this is spread out across the country. This tickborne issue, associated with lone star ticks in the US, results in an inability to consume red meat such as beef, pork, and venison. For those who live with alpha-gal, life is very different from before. They may not be able to enjoy a favorite meal or be very anxious about dining out for fear of contamination, to say nothing of the actual health issues involved. Tune in today to hear from Cindy Cochran, a Nebraskan living with alpha-gal, as well as Dr. Cosby Stone Jr., a doctor and researcher from Vanderbilt who is a national leader on alpha-gal. 

An adult, female lone star tick. The white dot on her back gives the species its common name. Photo by Jim Kalisch, UNL Entomology

Show Notes

Dr. Cosby Stone Jr. our expert guest










https://search.vanderbilthealth.com/doctors/stone-cosby

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=-ash5VkAAAAJ&hl=en 

CDC Map on cases of alpha-gal in the USA

https://www.wkrn.com/news/tennessee-news/stranger-than-fiction-tick-bite-could-lead-to-food-allergy/ 

https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/alpha-gal/index.html

Questions? Comments? 

Follow the show on Twitter @Arthro_Podshow

Follow the hosts on Twitter @bugmanjon@JodyBugsmeUNL, and @MSkvarla36


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Monday, July 24, 2023

Arthro-Pod EP 140: Setting Ticks on Fire with Jesse Evans

 

Hello bug lovers and uh, tick haters, to today's show! Today, the gang is joined by Jesse Evans, a master's student at Penn State. Jesse studies the intersection of ticks, wildlife, and wildfires- specifically controlled burns. People who have been dealing with surging tick populations seem to frequently wonder if fire could be to ticks what it once was to Frankenstein's monster, a potential deterrent. Tune in to hear Jesse discuss wild mice populations, how fickle fire can be for research, and how large-scale landscape changes may affect something like Lyme disease. 


Show notes
Student spotlight
Jesse's publication on citizen science projects and vector surveillance

Questions? Comments? 

Follow the show on Twitter @Arthro_Podshow

Follow the hosts on Twitter @bugmanjon@JodyBugsmeUNL, and @MSkvarla36


Get the show through Apple PodcastSpotify, or your favorite podcatching app!
If you can spare a moment, we appreciate when you subscribe to the show on those apps or when you take time to leave a review!


Subscribe to our feed on Feedburner!