Episode Details

West Nile virus is the most common mosquito-borne illness in the U.S., and while most people who contract it won't even know they're infected, it can be debilitating for older adults and the immunocompromised. In this episode: an expert in insect-borne diseases gives listeners the essential information on West Nile, offers a forecast on this year's disease season, and answers the most important question: can we just get rid of mosquitoes?

Douglas Norris, PhD, is a professor of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology who studies vector-borne diseases.

Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

• CDC Encourages Americans to Stay Mosquito Bite-Free during America's 250th Independence Day holiday weekend—CDC

• Early, intense West Nile season may signal a severe year for the mosquito-borne illness, CDC says—CNN

• How to Prevent Dengue or "Break-Bone Fever"—Public Health On Call (May 2024)

• Why Are Some Humans' Scents More Preferable to Mosquitoes?—Public Health On Call (June 2023)