July 27, 2022

The latest COVID-19 subvariants have pushed hospitalizations and cases in Greater Cincinnati high enough that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last week recommended indoor masking in eight local counties. Many people are experiencing symptoms including scratchy sore throat, runny nose, a cough and a headache, raising the question of whether the symptoms are from COVID or allergies. Cincinnati.com asked some local experts to weigh in, including Carl Fichtenbaum, MD, of the Division of Infectious Diseases at the UC College of Medicine.

August 5, 2022

The Biden administration has declared the growing monkeypox outbreak a national health emergency, a rare designation signaling that the virus now represents a significant risk to Americans and setting in motion new measures aimed at containing the threat. Cases of the virus have been confirmed in Greater Cincinnati. WVXU interviewed Jennifer Forrester, MD, of the Division of Infectious Diseases at the UC College of Medicine to learn more about how it spreads and how contagious it is.

August 29, 2022

The World Health Organization announced recently that breakthrough infections have been reported in people who had been vaccinated against monkeypox. Healthline reported there is limited data available on the efficacy of the JYNNEOS shot, so it will take time to understand how effective it is at preventing infection. Data from the 1980s has shown that the vaccine was at least 85% effective, however, some health experts expect that number to change in the current outbreak. One of the experts cited in the Healthline story was Carl Fichtenbaum, MD, of the Division of Infectious Diseases at the UC College of Medicine.

December 6, 2022

Hospital emergency departments in the Cincinnati-area are seeing a surge in patients who have flu symptoms and complications, pushing hospitals be near or at capacity, partially because flu is raging in the region. Hospitalizations for flu locally rose 107% last week. Cincinnati.com asked several local healthcare experts about what people should do as flu cases surge. One of those was Jennifer Forrester, MD, of the Division of Infectious Diseases in the Department of Internal Medicine at the UC College of Medicine.

December 2, 2022

Hospitals in the Cincinnati area are dealing with what some are calling a 'tripledemic' of RSV, COVID-19 and the flu. WLWT reported that according to the Health Collaborative, COVID-19 hospitalizations across Ohio counties in greater Cincinnati are at 176 patients. That's 41 more than Friday. About 180 people are hospitalized with the flu. It's a major spike from the week before. One of the experts cited by WLWT is Carl Fichtenbaum, MD, of the Division of Infectious Diseases at the UC College of Medicine.

November 21, 2023

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there have been more than 630 whooping cough cases in Ohio this year. That’s nearly six times the number the state experienced in all of last year- and it is by far more cases than any other state has had this year. In a story produced by Spectrum News, Carl Fichtenbaum, MD, of the Division of Infectious Diseases at the UC College of Medicine provides some background on whooping cough and why he thinks the numbers are going up.

November 13, 2023

With the arrival of fall and colder temperatures, we are seeing the arrival of the cold and flu season. Cincinnati.com posted a story focusing on colds and how long people with colds are contagious. They interviewed Katherine Schmidt, MD, of the UC College of Medicine Department of Internal Medicine.

February 16, 2024

The number of pregnant women with syphilis is increasing in Ohio, impacting mothers and children. Spectrum News produced a story interviewing Meredith Pensak, MD and Carl Fichtenbaum, MD of the UC College of Medicine

February 28, 2024

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention could soon change its isolation guidance for people who have tested positive for COVID, according to recent media reports. The agency is considering new guidelines where workers and school-aged children would not be required to isolate before returning to school or work if they have been fever-free for at least 24 hours without medication and if their symptoms are mild or resolving. WVXU interviewed Carl Fichtenbaum, MD, of the Division of Infectious Diseases at the UC College of Medicine to get his insight.

December 21, 2023

Respiratory illnesses are on the rise as we head into the holiday season and that means taking precautions to avoid getting sick during holiday gatherings. Local 12 posted a story on tips for staying healthy during the holidays, interviewing Carl Fichtenbaum, MD, of the Division of Infectious Diseases at the UC College of Medicine.