Interview with Dr. Michael Shiloh - Part 1: Understanding Infectious Disease

After spending two summers working in infectious disease research, I wanted to learn more about the field beyond the specific questions we were studying in the lab. I interviewed Dr. Michael Shiloh about what originally drew him to infectious disease, what people misunderstand about the field, and what challenges he thinks deserve more attention.

What drew you to this field?

Michael Shiloh: I'm both an infectious disease physician and a scientist who studies infectious diseases. I've always been drawn to the field because infections have had such a profound impact on human health, history, and society. Although diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular disease are major health problems, particularly in Western countries, infectious diseases affect people throughout the world. Understanding how infections occur, what makes people susceptible to them, and how we can combat them has always been fascinating to me. Epidemics and pandemics are reminders that infectious diseases continue to shape human society.

What's something most people misunderstand about the field?

Michael Shiloh: One common misunderstanding is that all infectious diseases are essentially the same. In reality, many different types of organisms can cause disease, including viruses, bacteria, and fungi. They have very different biology, cause disease in different ways, and require different approaches to treatment.

People often conflate viruses and bacteria, for example. Someone with a cold may expect an antibiotic, even though antibiotics don't treat viral infections. More broadly, not all infections are treatable, and even those that are treatable aren't all treated in the same way. I think greater understanding of those distinctions would be valuable.

What infectious disease challenge do you think deserves more attention?

Michael Shiloh: We're all aware of the risk of pandemics after the experience of COVID-19, but there are many emerging infectious diseases that remain largely below the public's radar. Viruses circulate in wildlife and other animal populations, and some have the potential to cross into humans and cause new outbreaks. As human populations expand into new environments and come into greater contact with wildlife, opportunities for those encounters increase. Understanding emerging infections and identifying potential threats before they become widespread is an area that deserves continued attention.