Dec 14, 2023
I had a profound and heart-wrenching conversation with renowned infectious disease specialist Steffanie Strathdee. Steffanie is Canadian-born and named by Time Magazine as one of the 50 most influential people in healthcare. She has written a book titled The Perfect Predator. A Scientists race to save her Husband from a Deadly Superbug.
Steffanie's story unfolds like a gripping thriller. On holiday in Egypt, with her husband Tom, a deadly Superbug hijacks his body and it has Superpowers. It steals genes from other bacteria and the environment to resist antibiotics.
This Superbug isn't an anamoloy. 5 million people will die from these types of infections in 2024. By 2050, that number is predicted to be 10 million. Why? The misuse and overuse of antibiotics in medicine and animal husbandry.
Tom is airlifted to Germany, where the doctors aren't only perplexed, they are terrified as in the past this Superbog has shut down entire hospitals. They can do nothing, so Tom is Medevaced to the US. Fighting for his life, his organs shutting down, Tom is running out of time. Steffanie is desperate. She sees a psyche, hears about a century-old forgotten cure developed by a French Canadian but must enlist a dream team to try to save his life.
What they uncover might save millions of lives, including yours and mine.
To buy Steffanie and Tom's Book: The Perfect Predator. A Scientist's Race to Save Her Husband from a Deadly Superbug. https://www.amazon.com/Perfect-Predator-Scientists-Husband-Superbug/dp/0316418080
Time Code:
00:00 I introduce Stephanie Strathdee, An influential Scientist in infectious diseases.
04:48 Super Bugs are a Global Issue - 5 million deaths
05:57 Why aren't antibiotics working the way they used
to?
07:54 Global agencies urge action and lack accountability
measures.
10:41 The Perfect Vacation turns on a dime - A Super Bug invades
Tom's body
12:40 Epidemiologist in Germany shocked by a deadly
antibiotic-resistant bacterium.
15:38 Germans send Tom to the United States; nothing they can
do
18:02 Tom is dying; a squeeze from his hand changes everything
24:57 Phage could be the cure but against all odds
29:48 Phage preparation to remove toxic bacteria so treatment
doesn't kill Tom
30:52 Steffanie must make a life-and-death decision
34:07 Tom treasures life and moments together; phage therapy is a
last attempt.
36:18 Phage saved Tom; can it save you and me?
37:48 Was this a miracle?
39:51 Tony's Three Takeaways
41:51 Tony's holiday message to you
43:50 Tony's Holiday Message