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Infectious dose is the shot of science you need to protect yourself from misinformation. Heather McSharry, PhD, an expert in viral pathogenesis, brings her blog to the airwaves to help bridge the dangerous gap between the science of infectious diseases and public misperception. On the podcast website, infectiousdose.com, all episodes have corresponding blog posts with the information contained in the episode along with links or PDFs for all sources used. To prevent unwelcome surprises, episodes with limited, mild profanity are marked as explicit. *Podcast intro and outro music are adapted from Heather Nova’s song, I Miss My Sky. Used with permission.
Episodes
Wednesday Feb 04, 2026
Wednesday Feb 04, 2026
RSV is one of the most common respiratory viruses — and a leading cause of hospitalization in young children worldwide.
In this solo episode, I explain what RSV is, how it spreads, and what illness typically looks like in babies, children, and adults. We cover when RSV can be managed at home, how to recognize breathing-related red flags, when to go to the ER or call an ambulance, and what supportive care actually helps.
The episode also looks at the current RSV landscape, including rising cases in parts of the U.S. and new prevention tools — maternal vaccination and long-acting monoclonal antibodies — that are dramatically reducing severe RSV disease in infants. Clear, practical, and evidence-based.
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