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LSHTM Viral

LSHTM Viral

LSHTM 66 Episodes Jul 2, 2026

An award-winning podcast that explores the science behind public and global health, discussing solutions to improve health and health equity worldwide. Produced by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, it features experts and research on a wide range of health topics. The show aims to make complex health issues accessible and highlight practical approaches to global health challenges.

Episodes

Polio: Forgotten, but not gone
Polio: Forgotten, but not gone Jul 2, 2026 00:18:06 In this episode of LSHTM Viral, hosts Karl Byrne and Naomi Stewart explore the return of an old disease making new headlines: polio. While global health initiatives have reduced the global polio burden by more than 99% since 1988, the fight is far from over. With the virus recently detected in London's wastewater and vital surveillance funding facing cuts, the risk of resurgence is a terrifyin
Winter Flu Alert: H3N2, Early Spikes, and the Universal Vaccine Quest
Winter Flu Alert: H3N2, Early Spikes, and the Universal Vaccine Quest Dec 5, 2025 00:17:32 If your morning commute sounds coughier than usual, you aren't imagining things.Reports confirm that the UK flu season has kicked off weeks ahead of schedule. With COVID-19 and RSV also circulating, are we facing a "tripledemic"? And why does the flu virus shape-shift enough to require a new vaccine every single autumn?In this episode, host Karl Byrne sits down with Professor Punam M
Health Misinformation: UNPACKED
Health Misinformation: UNPACKED Oct 14, 2025 00:25:33  Why do we fall for false or misleading information about our health? And in a world flooded with viral claims and conspiracy theories, how can we fight back? On September 15th 2025, the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine brought together world-leading experts to tackle one of the most urgent threats to public health: misinformation. In this special episode, host Karl Byrne takes you
Chikungunya: The Virus You’ve Probably Never Heard Of
Chikungunya: The Virus You’ve Probably Never Heard Of Aug 26, 2025 00:17:59 This summer, chikungunya has been making headlines — with more than 7,000 cases reported in China’s Guangdong province and tens of thousands more across the Indian Ocean islands. Even parts of Europe, including France and Italy, have seen local transmission. But what exactly is chikungunya? How does it spread, what symptoms does it cause, and could it become a risk in cooler countries like the UK?
Measles: Why is it spreading and what can we do?
Measles: Why is it spreading and what can we do? Jul 15, 2025 00:45:13 Cases of measles are on the rise globally, including in Europe, Central Asia, and North America. In the UK, cases are the highest they've been in 25 years. But why?Join hosts Naomi Stewart and Karl Byrne in this bonus episode of LSHTM Viral as they speak to Professor Liam Smeeth, Director of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine about the very real consequences of the highly con
Norovirus uncovered: Why this year is worse
Norovirus uncovered: Why this year is worse Mar 25, 2025 00:20:54 Ever had a sudden, gut-wrenching bout of vomiting and diarrhoea? You’re not alone—norovirus, the infamous ‘winter vomiting bug,’ has been wreaking havoc across the UK. But why are cases so high this year? And how can you protect yourself?In this special episode, Karl speaks to LSHTM expert Dr Damien Tully to break down the science behind norovirus, how it spreads, and why cruise ships are often th
HMPV: Should we be concerned about this ‘new’ virus?
HMPV: Should we be concerned about this ‘new’ virus? Jan 29, 2025 00:12:29 In this bonus episode of LSHTM Viral, we explore human metapneumovirus (HMPV), a respiratory virus recently making headlines due to an outbreak in China and rising cases in the UK. But is this something we should be worried about? Host Karl Byrne is joined by Professor Martin Hibberd, an expert in emerging infectious diseases at LSHTM, to break down what HMPV is, how it compares to other respirato
S3E10: Season 3 reflections and goodbye for now!
S3E10: Season 3 reflections and goodbye for now! Aug 13, 2021 00:06:44 Join Amy and Karl as they reflect on the LSHTM Viral season 3. They discuss how far have we come with vaccinations worldwide and key takeaways from the expert discussions throughout the season. Thank you to all the experts who appeared on the podcast and the dedicated LSHTM Viral listeners that helped LSHTM Viral win a Gold CASE Award for Digital Communications (Frequent Podcast Category). Goodbye
S3E9: Where are we with COVID-19 vaccines and what’s next?
S3E9: Where are we with COVID-19 vaccines and what’s next? Jul 21, 2021 00:25:12 In this episode of LSHTM Viral, Karl Byrne speaks with Beate Kampmann, Professor of Paediatric Infection & Immunity and Director of the Vaccine Centre at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. They delve into the future of vaccines, our perception of risk and how vaccination programmes are going to be monitored in the future. Beate answers burning audience questions including, “
S3E8: Vaccine equity - it's not over everywhere unless we share
S3E8: Vaccine equity - it's not over everywhere unless we share Jun 1, 2021 00:38:15 The explosive COVID-19 outbreak in India has shone a striking light on one of the biggest moral issues of our time - vaccine equity. Subsequent halting of vaccine exports is severely affecting Africa and developing countries, and although 1.9 billion doses have been administered globally, many developing countries are yet to receive a single dose. In this episode we are joined by two global health
S3E7: Signed, sealed, delivered - vaccine purchasing and distribution
S3E7: Signed, sealed, delivered - vaccine purchasing and distribution May 20, 2021 00:28:51 How do countries get access to COVID-19 vaccines in the first place? In this episode, Prof Daniel Bausch of LSHTM shares his thoughts on the global vaccine purchasing and distribution systems. An expert in the control of emerging viruses, Dan also discusses with host Naomi Stewart what the focus on COVID-19 means for other vaccination programmes and trials, how the pandemic may end, and how prepar
S3E6: From lab to jab - How to make a vaccine
S3E6: From lab to jab - How to make a vaccine May 11, 2021 00:16:09 This week, Karl Byrne talks about the latest vaccination figures as well as other breaking COVID-19 news, including an exciting citizen science project where over the last year gamers playing EVE Online- a massively multiplayer online role-playing game, have carried out real world research that would have taken scientists over 330 years to complete. In our main feature, Karl tells the incredible s

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