101: MAY-laria 2026

Jambo rafiki, karibu! Today, travel medicine specialists Drs. Paul Pottinger & Chris Sanford answer your travel health questions regarding malaria, including:What causes malaria?What are the symptoms of malaria?How much malaria is in the world today?What are the key ways in which travelers can protect themselves?Are the regions impacted by malaria fixed, or do they change?Is there locally-acquired malaria in the USA?Why is malaria such a difficult scientific problem?Why are there so many myths about malaria--and what are a few that drive you crazy?Is there a vaccine for malaria?What if a patient chooses not to take malaria prevention medications?What is new with mosquito avoidance technology?How can I diagnose myself with malaria if I have symptoms?What if I prefer to take medications weekly rather than daily?We hope you enjoy this podcast! If so, please follow us on the socials @germ.and.worm, 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 visit our website: germandworm.com where you can find all our content and send us your questions and travel health anecdotes. Or, just send us an email: 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.