984 - Sneak Attacks: How Viruses Can Hide In Our Bodies and Cause Problems Years Later

Dec 8, 2025

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About this episode:

After recovering from an illness like the flu or mononucleosis, most of us will return to our normal lives without complications. But for some, viruses can linger in the body—sometimes for years—and reemerge, wreaking new havoc on the immune system and even triggering chronic diseases. In this episode: Virologist Maggie Bartlett explains how viruses—many of which are vaccine-preventable—can cause post-acute infection syndrome and what's needed to improve the diagnosis and treatment of these conditions.

Watch the video version of this episode.

Guests:

Maggie L. Bartlett, PhD, is an assistant research professor in Molecular Microbiology and Immunology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the co-host of "Why Should I Trust You?".

Host:

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.

Show links and related content:

Vaccines Do More Than Prevent Disease—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
The Virus That Never Leaves—Dr. Maggie's Substack
What We Know—And Still Don't Know—About Long COVID—Public Health On Call (October 2025)

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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.