An award-winning podcast focusing on the science behind public and global health, and solutions to improve health and health equity worldwide. Brought to you from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.
LSHTM Viral
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5.0(21 reviews)
65 episodes
Updated Bi-weekly
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Podcast Overview
An award-winning podcast focusing on the science behind public and global health, and solutions to improve health and health equity worldwide. Brought to you from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.
Language
🇺🇲
Publishing Since
1/30/2020
1 verified contact email on file for LSHTM Viral
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Recent Episodes
December 5, 2025
Winter Flu Alert: H3N2, Early Spikes, and the Universal Vaccine Quest
<p>If your morning commute sounds coughier than usual, you aren't imagining things.</p><p>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?</p><p>In this episode, host <strong>Karl Byrne</strong> sits down with <strong>Professor Punam Mangtani</strong>, a leading epidemiologist at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), to decode the data behind this year's outbreak.</p><p>They explain the difference between the H1N1 and H3N2 strains, why the UK looks to Australia for warning signs, and the biological "typo" that causes the virus to drift away from our immune system's memory. Plus, we look at how mRNA vaccine technology can help us tackle flu pandemics faster, and ask: Are we getting closer to a "universal" vaccine?</p><p><strong>In this episode, we cover:</strong></p><ul><li><p><strong>01:45</strong> – <strong>The Early Surge:</strong> Why school data signals a difficult winter ahead.</p></li><li><p><strong>02:4 8</strong> – <strong>The Australia Warning:</strong> What the Southern Hemisphere tells us about case numbers vs. severity.</p></li><li><p><strong>03:50</strong> – <strong>H3N2 vs. H1N1:</strong> Decoding the alphabet soup of viral strains.</p></li><li><p><strong>05:13</strong> – <strong>The Tripledemic:</strong> How Flu, RSV, and COVID-19 interact (and why you probably won't catch them all at once).</p></li><li><p><strong>07:10</strong> – <strong>Antigenic Drift:</strong> The molecular reason why last year's vaccine won't protect you this year.</p></li><li><p><strong>08:35</strong> – <strong>The Prediction Game:</strong> How the WHO selects vaccine strains months in advance.</p><p><strong>10:37</strong> – <strong> 60% effectiveness?:</strong> How effective must a vaccine be in order to be thought of as good?</p></li><li><p><strong>12:55</strong> – <strong>The Holy Grail:</strong> The latest research on Universal Flu Vaccines.</p></li><li><p><strong>14:23</strong> – <strong>Prevention:</strong> Why surface cleaning works better for Flu than it did for COVID.</p></li></ul><p><strong>Guest:</strong></p><ul><li><p><strong>Professor Punam Mangtani</strong> – Professor of Clinical Epidemiology at LSHTM and expert in respiratory viruses, vaccine effectiveness, and public health surveillance.</p></li></ul><p><strong>Learn more:</strong></p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.lshtm.ac.uk/research/centres/vaccine-centre" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">LSHTM Vaccine Centre</a></p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.lshtm.ac.uk/newsevents/news/2025/expert-comment-why-uk-expecting-bad-flu-season-year" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">Expert Comment: Why the UK is expecting a bad flu season</a></p></li></ul><p><strong>Credits:</strong></p><ul><li><p><strong>Host:</strong> Karl Byrne</p></li><li><p><strong>Producer:</strong> Karl Byrne</p></li><li><p><strong>Editor:</strong> Karl Byrne</p></li></ul><p><strong>Follow us on social media:</strong>Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/LSHTM" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">@LSHTM</a>Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/lshtm" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">@LSHTM</a></p><p>#LSHTM #GlobalHealth #Flu #H3N2 #PublicHealth #Vaccines #Epidemiology #Tripledemic</p><p><br></p>
October 14, 2025
Health Misinformation: UNPACKED
<p> 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? </p><p>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. </p><p>In this special episode, host <strong>Karl Byrne</strong> takes you inside the event to unpack the key takeaways. You'll hear from behavioural scientists on the psychology of "pre-bunking" and why our emotions make us vulnerable; journalists on the practical challenges of verifying news in a 24/7 cycle; and global health experts on how the fight looks different from West Africa to the UK. </p><p>Featuring insights from <strong>Professor Sir Chris Whitty</strong> (Chief Medical Officer for England), <strong>Professor Sander van der Linden</strong> (University of Cambridge), LSHTM researchers, experts from BBC Media Action, PA Media, and international organisations. </p><p>This episode explores the timeless techniques behind the misinformation machine, how we can effectively fight it and asks what it will take to rebuild trust. This isn't just a discussion about fake news- it's about finding clarity in the chaos.</p><p><a href="https://www.lshtm.ac.uk/newsevents/events/health-misinformation-unpacked/network-fight-health-misinformation-uk" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer">Find out more about the network to fight health misinformation in the UK and how you can help.</a></p>
August 26, 2025
Chikungunya: The Virus You’ve Probably Never Heard Of
<p>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?</p><p>Host Karl Byrne is joined by Dr Doris Kemunto Nyamwaya from The MRC/UVRI & LSHTM Uganda Research Unitto unpack what we know about chikungunya, why public health experts are watching it so closely, and whether vaccines might change the picture.</p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://www.lshtm.ac.uk/study/courses/masters-degrees/epidemiology" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">Click here to find out more about LSHTM's courses, including the MSc Epidemiology mentioned in the episode</a></p>
65 total episodes available
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Frequently asked questions
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- What is LSHTM Viral?
- How often does this podcast release new episodes?
This podcast updates bi-weekly.
- Where can I listen to this podcast?
This podcast is available on 4 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.
- Does this podcast accept guests?
Yes, this podcast regularly features guests.
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