ID4U - Infectious Disease Podcasts for Users of the CMES program

by Jessica Pelletier

Techies Without Borders (TWB) is a non-profit organization that aims to deliver high-quality CME to low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) where there are significant cost and internet access barriers for clinicians to stay up-to-date. Our program is currently established in 19 countries, serving 5,500 doctors who care for 13,400,000 patients. Our primary content delivery method is via the Continuing Medical Education on St ... 

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Podcast episodes

  • Season 1

  • ID4U Episode 5 Severe Malaria

    ID4U Episode 5 Severe Malaria

    Dr. Jessica Pelletier speaks with Dr. Emmanuel Effa, a malaria expert, about diagnosing and managing severe malaria in the emergency setting. Take-Home Points: Severe malaria is characterized by parasitemia plus 1 or more of the severe features we discussed - basically, signs of organ damage Kids are at higher risk of getting and dying from this These folks will often need resuscitation from an ABCDE standpoint Early recognition and aggressive antimalarial treatment is essential Patients should be treated with broad-spectrum antibiotics until bacterial infection is ruled out You can view the full show notes and references here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/13vX2HxiTH9_hCzAyQz-aHztHOqYmMU8vDE2itz4tXsc/edit?usp=sharing Episode art attribution: NIAID. Red Blood Cell Infected with Malaria Parasites.; 2023. Accessed August 28, 2024. https://www.flickr.com/photos/niaid/52845764644

  • ID4U Episode 4 Malaria

    ID4U Episode 4 Malaria

    Dr. Jessica Pelletier speaks with Dr. Brit Long, who recently published a review article on malaria for emergency clinicians, about uncomplicated malaria infection. Take-Home Points: Malaria is a highly prevalent disease worldwide that causes millions of cases and hundreds of thousands of deaths, though improving prevention strategies are helping mitigate this Malaria can be asymptomatic, uncomplicated, or complicated; we covered uncomplicated malaria today Uncomplicated malaria may come with fevers, which are usually cyclical, as well as flu-like symptoms Diagnosis is made using RDT or blood smear, though a smear is ideal for determining parasite burden and the infecting species Treatment should be guided by local guidelines and protocols, which take into account resistance patterns Most first-line antimalarials are well-tolerated, and uncomplicated malaria usually has a good prognosis when treated appropriately Prevention strategies include avoiding, blocking, and killing mosquitoes; chemoprophylaxis; and vaccines, where available You can view the full show notes and references here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1t2z8OMLm6hmOMBrsAlp-vAFWDVsXkh6otCL-Qvh8jhM/edit?usp=sharing

  • ID4U Episode 3 Tuberculosis Part 2

    ID4U Episode 3 Tuberculosis Part 2

    In Part 2, Dr. Jess Pelletier speaks with Dr. Moses Kitakule about tuberculosis (TB) complications, including pulmonary and extrapulmonary emergencies and serious side effects of anti-TB medications. Take-Home Points: There are a number of life-threatening pulmonary emergencies that can occur in active or latent TB patients due to structural lung changes, and we need to be ready to manage them Extrapulmonary TB can impact any organ system, but some of the most dangerous emergencies to be aware of include: CardiacCardiac tamponade 2/2 pericarditis with effusion Myocarditis/sudden cardiac death Increased risk of coronary artery disease/acute coronary syndrome Aortitis NeurologicMeningitis Tuberculomas Spinal tuberculous arachnoiditis Increased risk of ischemic stroke HematologicDecreased cell lines, TTP, coagulopathy GI Bowel obstruction/perforation Peritonitis Tuberculous appendicitis OsteoarticularOsteomyelitis Septic arthritis First-line anti-TB drugs can be quite toxic, with the most concerning emergencies including seizures, hepatoxicity, hematologic emergencies, life-threatening rashes, optic neuritis, and pneumonitis You can view the full show notes and references here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ubGVR3i9lab1MM7NgXMjeORhQ-jFQt6C51R-9xI1VW4/edit?usp=sharing

  • ID4U Episode 2 Typhoid Fever

    ID4U Episode 2 Typhoid Fever

    In this episode, Dr. Jess Pelletier speaks with Dr. Emmanuel Effa about typhoid fever. Take-Home Points: Typhoid fever is endemic in settings with water and sanitation issues In other places, it is more commonly imported from overseas when people visit endemic areas Typically, infected people present with varying degrees of fever, fatigue, headaches, abdominal pains and constipation/diarrhea. It can run a severe course that leads to death Diagnosis is based on clinical features and cultures of bone marrow, blood, stool or urine Treatment is guided by local protocols dependent on antimicrobial sensitivity patterns Vaccines are available and are reasonably effective. Overall, promoting access to safe water ensuring adequate sanitation; promoting hygiene among food handlers and typhoid vaccination are effective in preventing typhoid fever You can view the full show notes and references here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/15yGRZV8UpQEKcFIwSFnCOGEl1uE77wlFP3T7tpm-YFc/edit?usp=sharing

  • ID4U Episode 1 Tuberculosis Part 1

    ID4U Episode 1 Tuberculosis Part 1

    In Part 1, Dr. Jess Pelletier speaks with Dr. Moses Kitakule about tuberculosis: epidemiology, pathophysiology, and diagnosis. Take-Home Points: TB is a pathogen impacting only humans which infects about ⅓ of the globe Most cases of TB are latent and asymptomatic, but TB can reactivate at any time, particularly if a host becomes immunocompromised or highly exposed to TB Patients with active pulmonary TB may have fevers, night sweats, weight loss, cough lasting more than 3 weeks, hemoptysis, dyspnea, or fatigue, but older adults and those with immune compromise may be asymptomatic or present atypically Imaging abnormalities on chest x-ray, POCUS, or CT should be seen in active TB (but not always in immunocompromised hosts) Diagnostic testing in the ED should involve sending sputum AFB smear and culture, as well as a NAAT, which may help make the diagnosis more rapidly Miliary TB patients may need targeted testing of other body fluids Protecting staff and other patients is critical You can view the full show notes and references here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xrs7Yy5bAtSp8F2Esale44DKY3gRkiVwQiioQjAoNHI/edit?usp=sharing