The SHEA Podcast

In this episode of the SHEA Podcast, host Dr. Jonathan Ryder moderates a lively pro/con debate on one of the most discussed biomarkers in infectious diseases: procalcitonin. Joining the conversation are two experts with distinct perspectives: Dr. Michael Mansour, Clinician Investigator and Associate Professor of Infectious Diseases at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, and Dr. Sheetal Kandiah, Senior Physician and Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Emory University; Director of the Antibiotic Stewardship Program at Grady Hospital. Together, they explore where PCT may (or may not) add value in antimicrobial stewardship programs. Tune in for an insightful exchange that will help stewards, clinicians, and ID professionals better understand where PCT fits into today’s rapidly evolving diagnostic landscape.

In this episode of The SHEA Podcast, host Dr. Jonathan Ryder (University of Nebraska Medical Center) speaks with Dr. Aditi Ramakrishnan (Washington University in St. Louis) about how antimicrobial stewardship programs can play a vital role in managing and preventing resistant sexually transmitted infections. They explore the challenges and opportunities at this intersection — from the promise and controversy surrounding doxycycline post-exposure prophylaxis (DoxyPEP), to the debate over routine STI screening among populations on PrEP, and the broader stewardship considerations beyond antibiotic use.

In this episode, Dr. Madhuri Sopirala, Medical Director and Chief of Infection Prevention at Parkland Health and Chair of SHEA’s Infection Prevention and Control Burn Unit Special Interest Group, moderates a timely conversation on the unique challenges of infection prevention in burn units. She is joined by Dr. Samuel Mandell, Associate Professor of Surgery at UT Southwestern and Director of the Parkland Regional Burn Center, and Dr. David Weber, Distinguished Professor of Medicine and Medical Director of Infection Prevention at UNC Medical Center, as well as current SHEA Board of Trustees President. Together, they explore why burn units require specialized approaches to infection prevention, the nuances of distinguishing outbreaks from baseline infection risks, and strategies for optimizing burn unit design to improve patient safety. The discussion also highlights often-overlooked vectors of infection, emerging research priorities, and what the future may hold for advancing infection prevention in burn care.

In this episode of The SHEA Podcast, Dr. Katie Chiotos (Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia) and Dr. Trevor Van Schooneveld (University of Nebraska Medical Center) discuss the stewardship of metagenomic sequencing (mNGS) in infectious disease care. They explore how to make results clinically actionable, avoid overuse or misinterpretation, and integrate mNGS into stewardship and infection prevention programs. The conversation also looks ahead to the future of mNGS and the role stewardship leaders will play in guiding its responsible use.

This episode of The SHEA Podcast was created with the SHEA Pediatric Epidemiologists and Antibiotic Stewards (PEAS) group specifically for Ronald McDonald House, but the principals would apply to any resident care facility. As of June 2025, the world is experiencing a significant resurgence of measles. The US has documented 1,319 cases across 40 jurisdictions, marking the largest outbreak since 2020. In Europe, there were 12,694 confirmed cases over the last 12 months of reporting – the highest since 1997. Southeast Asia is also heavily affected and, Australia faces its worst outbreak since 2019. Canada has over 3,977 cases reported nationwide – the highest number since the disease was declared to be eliminated in 1998. Together, Matthew Chater, CEO of the Ronald McDonald House in Southwestern Ontario, and Dr. Ayelet Rosenthal from Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago representing SHEA’s PEAS group, walk through a case study on what to do if someone infected with measles visited or stayed in a Ronald McDonald House.