Infectious Historians

About Infectious Historians

Covering infectious diseases through history from plague to COVID-19.

Publisher

InfectiousHistorians

Category

history

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

27 Mar 2020

Latest episode

15 Jul 2026

Latest episodes

2 of 148 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   15 Jul 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Episode 147 - Primary Care with Troyen Brennan

   Troyen Brennan, MD, MPH, of Harvard University, discusses the evolution, challenges, and future of primary care in the United States with the Infectious Historians.

2. 

   15 Jul 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Episode 146 - Pandemic India with David Arnold

   Emeritus Professor David Arnold discusses pandemics in India since the 19th century, exploring cholera, plague, and influenza, in this interview with hosts Merle and Lee.

3. 

   1 May 2026

   Episode 145 - Vampire Epidemics with John Blair

   John Blair (https://www.history.ox.ac.uk/people/professor-john-blair⁠) (Oxford University) joins Merle and Lee on the podcast in a discussion about his new book, Vampire Epidemics. The episode begins, as usual, with a definition of a vampire, followed by a survey of where and when these supernatural creatures appear in writings. John then discusses the phenomenon of vampire epidemics over time, noting their increased prevalence after the appearance of the printing press and their association with persecution waves. Near the end of the interview the conversation also touches upon the study of supposedly “less serious” subjects, as well as how vampires entered popular culture.

Inside a recent episode

Episode 147 - Primary Care with Troyen Brennan

Published 15 Jul 2026 · Transcript excerpt

[…] So people did only surgery or only certain kinds of surgery. Obstetrics and gynecology became a separate field. And internal medicine began to divide up into several different specialties, pulmonology, cardiology, basically defined by the organ that they took care of, the lung or the heart. in the case of pulmonology and cardiology, for example. At the same time, probably of 1950s and 1960s, there began to be development of a specialty of primary care doctors in the United States known as the family medicine physicians. So that became a field by the mid-1960s that began to see great growth and continues through to today. […]

Who has been a guest on Infectious Historians

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Troyen Brennan
• David Arnold
• Wayne Soon
• Jordan Wilson
• Janet Kay

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.8 / 5

25 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

13 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 50 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

65

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

90

Contact Infectious Historians

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

Questions about Infectious Historians