Wee Beasties
10 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 2 years ago - ★★★★★ - 5 ratingsWee Beasties is a monthly podcast inspired by Anton Van Leeuwenhoek's clever description of the "cavorting" specimens beneath his microscope as "wee beasties." Our episodes feature informal discussions about all things pathogens, offering scientific information and playful perspectives. Our seasons are thematic, and will center around subjects like epidemiology, microbiology, biotechnology, and cell biology. Find out more about the show at weebeastiespodcast.com.
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Episodes
The Scoop About Poop
January 06, 2022 17:00 - 10 minutes - 14.5 MBWater, like everything else on Earth, including you, is full of bacteria. But not all bacteria are created equal, with many being more harmful than others. Yes, Escherichia coli (E. coli) pollutes our ground and surface water through fecal contamination, but the bacteria is also simply found and widely distributed in nature. As one of our hosts, Christian, bid adieu to us, his last pathogen of choice is E. coli. Listen in as the bacteria-loving buds discuss strains and characteristics, cau...
My gal Sal and Typhoid Mary
December 09, 2021 18:39 - 12 minutes - 17.4 MB“Mary has died of Typhoid Fever”. Ah, yes. If you are of a certain generation, you remember being met with these abrupt notifications while playing Oregon Trail. While this game taught generations of young people about Western migration in 19th-century America, it also familiarized them with various diseases…and, how to avoid getting run over by wagon wheels. This month, our hosts are exploring the root of the cause – diving into species and subspecies of Salmonella. More about Salmonell...
Camp-tastic
November 04, 2021 13:00 - 8 minutes - 12.1 MBReady to think twice about the filtration used to treat your water for consumption? Ready or not, our hosts are exploring the gut microbe, Campylobacter jejuni. This gram-negative bacterium is about 0.2um – 0.5um in size. Small, but mighty enough to warrant the use of a 0.05um filter if you want to catch this bug and potentially avoid some stomach souring symptoms. More about Campylobacter jejuni: What is Campylobacter infection? Safewater.org | Campylobacter Fact Sheet Stay tuned ...
Bacter to the Future
October 07, 2021 16:00 - 13 minutes - 18.8 MBTime to talk about the most widespread infection in the world, Helicobacter pylori. Following the accidental abandonment of incubated plates, H. Pylori colonies were discovered, launching a larger investigation into the microbiology of the human stomach. More research is needed on this disease-causing gram-negative bacterium, but our hosts provide the basics of its characteristics, transmission routes, and prevention in this episode. More about Helicobacter pylori: Persistence strategi...
Lp the OG
September 02, 2021 16:00 - 15 minutes - 21.5 MBThis month, Dr. Kimothy Smith and Christian Railsback explore a well-known pathogen to healthcare facilities worldwide, Legionella pneumophila (Lp). Premise plumbing systems serve as the coziest of homes to this harmful and sometimes deadly bug, making routine biosurveillance efforts a must. Our hosts take a deep dive into the metabolic and cellular composition, preferred habitats, harmful effects, and preventative measures of Legionella pneumophila. A transcript of the conversation appear...
An Interview with Dr. Paul Sturman of the CBE
August 05, 2021 13:30 - 51 minutes - 71.4 MBIn this episode our hosts are joined by Dr. Paul Sturman, Research Professor and Industrial Coordinator at the Center for Biofilm Engineering (CBE), to discuss biofilms and their relationship to the CDC’s list of opportunistic pathogens. This season, Dr. Kimothy Smith and Christian Railsback have been dissecting this list of pathogens, specifically those that cause disease. Biofilms are a big part of the microbiome of premise plumbing systems and the different concentrations of bulk water pa...
Klebsiella and the Club of Antibiotic Resistance
July 01, 2021 13:00 - 11 minutes - 16.6 MBIn this episode, Dr. Kimothy Smith and Christian Railsback discuss Klebsiella – a gram-negative bacteria that causes various healthcare-associated infections. Though Klebsiella has a broad scope at the species and sub-species levels, this episode concentrates on common characteristics, environments, and levels of drug resistance. A transcript of the conversation appears below. More about Klebsiella: CDC’s Opportunistic Pathogens of Premise Plumbing list Klebsiella pneumoniae in Healthcare ...
NTM, Auntie Em!
June 03, 2021 12:00 - 9 minutes - 13.1 MBIn this episode, Dr. Kimothy Smith and Christian Railsback discuss non-tuberculosis mycobacterium (NTM) and how it differs from a gram-negative bacterium, like Pseudomonas. Cell structure, metabolic Mycobacterium avium performance, exploiting biofilms, and culturable but non-viable cells are among the high points on the pathogen odyssey today. A transcript of the conversation appears below. More about Mycobacterium: CDC’s Opportunistic Pathogens of Premise Plumbing list Mycobacteria ML...
Pseudomonas aeruginosa – Biofilm Producer and Pathogen
May 06, 2021 17:35 - 18 minutes - 26.2 MBIn this episode, Christian Railsback and co-host Dr. Kimothy Smith one another’s virtues and conduct a shallow dive into the molecular machinery, persistence, and epidemiology of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the first of several waterborne pathogens discussed this season. A transcript of the conversation appears below. More about Pseudomonas aeruginosa: Infection risk, spread, and treatment Drinking water and outbreak surveillance Additional opportunistic pathogens of premise plumbing Stay ...
On Origins
May 06, 2021 16:54 - 6 minutes - 10.2 MBOn Origins is a prologue episode offering some brief history of Anton Van Leeuwenhoek, and how his clever description of the "cavorting" specimens beneath his microscope as "wee beasties" inspired the name for our podcast. Our first season focuses on the CDC list of opportunistic waterborne pathogens; our first regular episode dives into Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Stay tuned for more episodes, posting on the first Thursday of each month. Subscribe to our show wherever you get your podcasts an...