podcastsinenglish Level 2.166 Animals, humans and diseases
Feb 25, 2021
Dive into the fascinating links between animals and human diseases. Discover how European livestock spread devastating illnesses to indigenous populations. Learn about recent zoonotic diseases like Ebola and COVID-19. Uncover why COVID-19's airborne nature made it so contagious. Hear about the surprising transmission of the virus between humans and pets. The hosts also reflect on the implications of close livestock contact and the drastic measures taken in farming to control outbreaks. End on a light note with a humorous take on vegetarianism.
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Colonisation And Lost Immunity
- The Spanish colonisation killed many locals because Europeans brought livestock diseases the natives had no immunity to.
- Jackie explains measles and TB originally came from cattle and locals lacked prior exposure.
Modern Diseases Often Start In Animals
- Many modern diseases also originate in animals and jump to humans as new zoonoses.
- Richard and Jackie list Ebola, salmonella, bird flu and COVID-19 as animal-origin illnesses.
Transmission Mode Determines Risk
- The ease of transmission shapes how dangerous a disease becomes to humans.
- Richard contrasts rabies and salmonella transmission with airborne spread like COVID-19.