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Cancer Answers is hosted by Dr. Anees Chagpar, Associate Professor of Surgical Oncology and Director of The Breast Center at Smilow Cancer Hospital at Yale-New Haven Hospital, and Dr. Francine Foss, Professor of Medical Oncology. The show features a guest cancer specialist who will share the most recent advances in cancer therapy and respond to listeners questions. Myths, facts and advances in cancer diagnosis and treatment are discussed, with a different focus eachweek. Nationally acclaimed specialists in various types of cancer research, diagnosis, and treatment discuss common misconceptions about the disease and respond to questions from the community.Listeners can submit questions to be answered on the program at canceranswers@yale.edu or by leaving a message at (888) 234-4YCC. As a resource, archived programs from 2006 through the present are available in both audio and written versions on the Yale Cancer Center website.

CDC Warns Of New Tick-Borne Threat This Summer In The Northeast

Scott Bauer
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Wikimedia Commons

With warmer weather also comes the potential for insect and tick-borne illnesses. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, diseases transmitted by fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes have tripled in just 13 years.

One virus, Powassan, or POW has seen a resurgence recently, according to Dr. Durland Fish, Professor Emeritus of Epidemiology at the Yale School of Public Health. Symptoms of Powassan infection include fever, headache, vomiting, weakness, confusion, and seizures.

The CDC reports only about 100 cases of POW in the U.S. in the last 10 years, but speaking on Connecticut Public Radio's Where We Live, Fish said there is a good reason why POW could be an issue for the Northeast this summer.

“It's recently become more prevalent because the deer tick, which transmits Lyme disease, is now transmitting this Powassan virus, and we hadn't seen this before, that's a recent event,” he said.

Fish said when it comes to insect and tick-borne viruses, prevention is the key. That’s why he’s frustrated that for decades, national policy aimed at preventing such diseases has focused on a medical response rather than an environmental one.

“These ticks and mosquitoes occur out in the wild, and that's where the research needs to be done to try and be able to manage these insects in an intelligent and environmentally compatible way,” said Fish.

He said the best way to protect yourself from things like Lyme disease is to wear long sleeved shirts and pants, and to apply an EPA registered insect repellent before going outdoors.

Ray Hardman is Connecticut Public’s Arts and Culture Reporter. He is the host of CPTV’s Emmy-nominated original series Where Art Thou? Listeners to Connecticut Public Radio may know Ray as the local voice of Morning Edition, and later of All Things Considered.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

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SOMOS CONNECTICUT is an initiative from Connecticut Public, the state’s local NPR and PBS station, to elevate Latino stories and expand programming that uplifts and informs our Latino communities. Visit CTPublic.org/latino for more stories and resources. For updates, sign up for the SOMOS CONNECTICUT newsletter at ctpublic.org/newsletters.

SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.