• 23: Sleeping high, Diving deep, Worrying Less
    Nov 19 2024

    Welcome! Today, travel medicine specialists Drs. Paul Pottinger ("Germ") & Chris Sanford ("Worm") answer your travel health questions:

    What's happening with mpox in Africa?

    How can I tell what food made me sick?

    What can I do to sleep better at high altitude?

    What's up with the epidemic of kidney disease in Sri Lanka?

    I get motion sick when whale watching--help!

    Is it safe to get certified as as SCUBA diver at a hotel?

    What about SCUBA diving generally--is it safe?

    What do Germ & Worm worry about when you travel?

    We hope you enjoy this podcast! If so, please follow us on the socials, subscribe to our RSS feed and share with your friends! We would so appreciate your rating and review to help us grow our audience. And, please send us your questions and travel health anecdotes: germandworm@gmail.com.

    Our Disclaimer: The Germ and Worm Podcast is designed to inform, inspire, and entertain. However, this podcast does NOT establish a doctor-patient relationship, and it should NOT replace your conversation with a qualified healthcare professional. Please see one before your next adventure. The opinions in this podcast are Dr. Sanford’s & Dr. Pottinger’s alone, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the University of Washington or UW Medicine.

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    33 mins
  • 22: Pour Some Honey on Me!
    Nov 12 2024

    Welcome! Today, travel medicine specialists Drs. Paul Pottinger ("Germ") & Chris Sanford ("Worm") answer your travel health questions:

    Should I apply honey to help heal a wound?

    What's the best way to protect my passport?

    How should I handle a cat bite on Santorini?

    Why do only some people get sick after eating the same contaminated meal?

    Are all vaccines equally effective?

    When should I see a doctor if I catch traveler's diarrhea?

    How can I tell if that swimming pool is safe?

    Do I need proof of COVID-19 vaccination to travel in China?

    We hope you enjoy this podcast! If so, please subscribe to our RSS feed and share with your friends! We would so appreciate your rating and review to help us grow our audience. And, please send us your questions and travel health anecdotes: germandworm@gmail.com.

    Our Disclaimer: The Germ and Worm Podcast is designed to inform, inspire, and entertain. However, this podcast does NOT establish a doctor-patient relationship, and it should NOT replace your conversation with a qualified healthcare professional. Please see one before your next adventure. The opinions in this podcast are Dr. Sanford’s & Dr. Pottinger’s alone, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the University of Washington or UW Medicine.

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    31 mins
  • 21: TICK TALK! All About Ticks: Lyme Disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and More
    Nov 5 2024

    Welcome! Today, travel medicine specialists Drs. Paul Pottinger ("Germ") & Chris Sanford ("Worm") answer your travel health questions about TICKS:

    How to diagnose Lyme disease?

    Should I take antibiotics if I find a tick on my body?

    How should I treat Lyme disease?

    What's up with chronic Lyme?

    Tell me more about Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever...

    Can I get the tickborne encephalitis vaccine?

    Is babesia really the same as malaria?

    How should I remove a tick from my skin?

    What's the best way to prevent tick bites?

    We hope you enjoy this podcast! If so, please subscribe to our RSS feed and share with your friends! We would so appreciate your rating and review to help us grow our audience. And, please send us your questions and travel health anecdotes: germandworm@gmail.com.

    Our Disclaimer: The Germ and Worm Podcast is designed to inform, inspire, and entertain. However, this podcast does NOT establish a doctor-patient relationship, and it should NOT replace your conversation with a qualified healthcare professional. Please see one before your next adventure. The opinions in this podcast are Dr. Sanford’s & Dr. Pottinger’s alone, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the University of Washington or UW Medicine.

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    39 mins
  • 20: Worm Tales Winner!
    Oct 29 2024

    Welcome! Today, travel medicine specialists Drs. Paul Pottinger ("Germ") & Chris Sanford ("Worm") answer your travel health questions:

    Does the coca leaf help prevent altitude sickness?

    Is it safe to travel to East Africa for safari after having a kidney transplant?

    Can humanity continue current air travel practices and avoid another viral pandemic?

    Do Germ and Worm actually follow their own travel health advice?

    Will garlic repel mosquitoes?

    What's this rash I caught in Africa?

    What about ibuprofen: Can I use it instead of acetazolamide to prevent altitude sickness?

    AND, we will reveal the winner of 2024's Worm Tales competition: Share with us the "dumbest" thing you have done while traveling abroad!

    We hope you enjoy this podcast! If so, please subscribe to our RSS feed and share with your friends! We would so appreciate your rating and review to help us grow our audience. And, please send us your questions and travel health anecdotes: germandworm@gmail.com.

    Our Disclaimer: The Germ and Worm Podcast is designed to inform, inspire, and entertain. However, this podcast does NOT establish a doctor-patient relationship, and it should NOT replace your conversation with a qualified healthcare professional. Please see one before your next adventure. The opinions in this podcast are Dr. Sanford’s & Dr. Pottinger’s alone, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the University of Washington or UW Medicine.

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    31 mins
  • 19: Traveling Around the World, Lenacapavir, Oral Typhoid Vaccine, What to Read
    Oct 22 2024

    Welcome! Today, travel medicine specialists Drs. Paul Pottinger ("Germ") & Chris Sanford ("Worm") answer your travel health questions:

    Should I get a health screening after an international trip?

    Should I get the chikungunya vaccine before visiting Zanzibar?

    How should anxious travelers handle their anxiety?

    What's the deal with lenacapavir to prevent HIV infection?

    How do you advise people who plan to travel around the world?

    Are there any issues with taking the oral typhoid vaccine?

    What do you read when you travel abroad?

    How reliable is AI for travel medicine?

    >> Friendly reminder about the WORM TALES competition: Please tell us the dumbest thing you have done while traveling abroad, and you will have the chance to receive an autographed copy of Chris Sanford's book Staying Healthy Abroad. <<

    We hope you enjoy this podcast! If so, please subscribe to our RSS feed and share with your friends! We would so appreciate your rating and review to help us grow our audience. And, please send us your questions and travel health anecdotes: germandworm@gmail.com.

    Our Disclaimer: The Germ and Worm Podcast is designed to inform, inspire, and entertain. However, this podcast does NOT establish a doctor-patient relationship, and it should NOT replace your conversation with a qualified healthcare professional. Please see one before your next adventure. The opinions in this podcast are Dr. Sanford’s & Dr. Pottinger’s alone, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the University of Washington or UW Medicine.

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    32 mins
  • 18: Giardia and the 'Rooster Tail' Sign!
    Oct 15 2024

    Hi, travel health listeners! Today, travel medicine specialists Drs. Paul Pottinger ("Germ") & Chris Sanford ("Worm") answer your travel health questions:

    What's up with Giardia?

    When do I NOT have to wear bug repellent?

    Which is better for purifying water: Iodine or Bleach?

    Should I take a medication holiday during my upcoming vacation?

    How much water should I drink?

    What do you say to people who decline their vaccines?

    Do those electronic bug-bite wands really work?

    >> Friendly reminder about the WORM TALES competition: Please tell us the dumbest thing you have done while traveling abroad, and you will have the chance to receive an autographed copy of Chris Sanford's book Staying Healthy Abroad. <<

    We hope you enjoy this podcast! If so, please subscribe to our RSS feed and share with your friends! We would so appreciate your rating and review to help us grow our audience. And, please send us your questions and travel health anecdotes: germandworm@gmail.com.

    Our Disclaimer: The Germ and Worm Podcast is designed to inform, inspire, and entertain. However, this podcast does NOT establish a doctor-patient relationship, and it should NOT replace your conversation with a qualified healthcare professional. Please see one before your next adventure. The opinions in this podcast are Dr. Sanford’s & Dr. Pottinger’s alone, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the University of Washington or UW Medicine.

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    31 mins
  • 17: Pre-Travel Checklist, DOXY-PEP, The Immunosuppressed Traveler
    Oct 8 2024

    Hi, travel health listeners! Today, travel medicine specialists Drs. Paul Pottinger ("Germ") & Chris Sanford ("Worm") answer your travel health questions:

    How do I make a healthcare checklist prior to departure?

    Can I reduce my risk of STDs by taking doxycycline?

    Is it safe to travel in Cuba by car given that most don’t have seat belts?

    What is the future of COVID-19 immunizations— a once-a-year vaccine or what?

    Is it safe to travel if I’m immunosuppressed, or taking immunosuppressive medications?

    What is delusional parasitosis?

    Should you carry COVID-19 test kits when you travel?

    If a hotel in Egypt says their water is filtered and safe—how can I tell if that’s true?

    >> Friendly reminder about the WORM TALES competition: Please tell us the dumbest thing you have done while traveling abroad, and you will have the chance to receive an autographed copy of Chris Sanford's book Staying Healthy Abroad. Please just email us: germandworm@gmail.com. <<

    We hope you enjoy this podcast! If so, please subscribe to our RSS feed and share with your friends! We would so appreciate your rating and review to help us grow our audience. And, please send us your questions and travel health anecdotes: germandworm@gmail.com.

    Our Disclaimer: The Germ and Worm Podcast is designed to inform, inspire, and entertain. However, this podcast does NOT establish a doctor-patient relationship, and it should NOT replace your conversation with a qualified healthcare professional. Please see one before your next adventure. The opinions in this podcast are Dr. Sanford’s & Dr. Pottinger’s alone, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the University of Washington or UW Medicine.

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    34 mins
  • 16: Ceviche, Deworming, Vaccines for Germany, and Leftover Medications
    Oct 1 2024

    Hi, travel health listeners! Today, travel medicine specialists Drs. Paul Pottinger ("Germ") & Chris Sanford ("Worm") answer your travel health questions:

    Should I give leftover medications away to locals at the end of my trip?

    Is it safe to eat ceviche?

    Do I need vaccines to visit Germany?

    Should I take a deworming medication after visiting Latin America?

    In Laos, is it safer to travel by public bus or private car?

    How can I reduce the risk of Lyme disease?

    We hope you enjoy this podcast! If so, please subscribe to our RSS feed and share with your friends! We would so appreciate your rating and review to help us grow our audience. And, please send us your questions and travel health anecdotes: germandworm@gmail.com.

    Our Disclaimer: The Germ and Worm Podcast is designed to inform, inspire, and entertain. However, this podcast does NOT establish a doctor-patient relationship, and it should NOT replace your conversation with a qualified healthcare professional. Please see one before your next adventure. The opinions in this podcast are Dr. Sanford’s & Dr. Pottinger’s alone, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the University of Washington or UW Medicine.

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    33 mins