Steve Valeika DVM PhD
@zoonotic1.bsky.social
DVM (UGA 01) | PhD (UNC 08) | Small Animal Vet | Recovering Academic | Infectious Disease Epi | ID and Public Health consultant for the Veterinary Information Network | Board member for Buncombe County Health Dept. | Family Guy | Son of an immigrant
Excellent opinion piece about the measles outbreak from Asheville’s best journalist with a whole lot of pointed quotes from me. I so appreciate independent, local media. No BS, no ‘both-sidesing” the issue. Thanks to all my Bluesky peeps, you’ll all recognize all of these points we discussed.
He and others in public health “get kind of pissed off when we see people like RFK referred to as a ‘vaccine skeptic,’” Valeika said. Skepticism is a…world view of testing and challenging assumptions. He’s already made up his mind. He’s an anti-vax conspiracy theorist. There’s no doubt about that.”
Opinion: Measles outbreak one more sign of the slide into irresponsible ignorance • Asheville Watchdog
I don’t often agree with U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis, a Republican from North Carolina who’s recently been quite vocal in his criticism of some Trump Administration policies. But when Tillis said in a floor...
avlwatchdog.org
January 19, 2026 at 2:12 PM
Excellent opinion piece about the measles outbreak from Asheville’s best journalist with a whole lot of pointed quotes from me. I so appreciate independent, local media. No BS, no ‘both-sidesing” the issue. Thanks to all my Bluesky peeps, you’ll all recognize all of these points we discussed.
He and others in public health “get kind of pissed off when we see people like RFK referred to as a ‘vaccine skeptic,’” Valeika said. Skepticism is a…world view of testing and challenging assumptions. He’s already made up his mind. He’s an anti-vax conspiracy theorist. There’s no doubt about that.”
Opinion: Measles outbreak one more sign of the slide into irresponsible ignorance • Asheville Watchdog
I don’t often agree with U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis, a Republican from North Carolina who’s recently been quite vocal in his criticism of some Trump Administration policies. But when Tillis said in a floor...
avlwatchdog.org
January 19, 2026 at 2:07 PM
He and others in public health “get kind of pissed off when we see people like RFK referred to as a ‘vaccine skeptic,’” Valeika said. Skepticism is a…world view of testing and challenging assumptions. He’s already made up his mind. He’s an anti-vax conspiracy theorist. There’s no doubt about that.”
Dogs are the best
January 17, 2026 at 11:35 PM
Dogs are the best
Rachael is on a hero’s journey right now.
January 17, 2026 at 4:04 PM
Rachael is on a hero’s journey right now.
I just had a Bald Eagle fly so low over my head that we made eye contact. I feel like I’ve received a buff of some sort.
January 16, 2026 at 10:23 PM
I just had a Bald Eagle fly so low over my head that we made eye contact. I feel like I’ve received a buff of some sort.
Reposted by Steve Valeika DVM PhD
What kind of proof would you offer to show you're a U.S. citizen?
For me: this stack of medical bills
For me: this stack of medical bills
January 15, 2026 at 9:03 PM
What kind of proof would you offer to show you're a U.S. citizen?
For me: this stack of medical bills
For me: this stack of medical bills
Reposted by Steve Valeika DVM PhD
If you're interested in understanding vaccine NSEs, why not do such a study in a place where the burden of disease is so low that there is no risk of kids getting exposed while the study withholds life-saving solutions?
Like, hmmm, Denmark, maybe?
Like, hmmm, Denmark, maybe?
January 15, 2026 at 8:16 PM
If you're interested in understanding vaccine NSEs, why not do such a study in a place where the burden of disease is so low that there is no risk of kids getting exposed while the study withholds life-saving solutions?
Like, hmmm, Denmark, maybe?
Like, hmmm, Denmark, maybe?
Ok Bluesky image sleuths. There’s a new restaurant in town and I was looking at their website and I’m a bit troubled.
I hope I’m wrong, but this is AI, right?
Why would you use AI images of food instead of pictures of your actual food?!?
I hope I’m wrong, but this is AI, right?
Why would you use AI images of food instead of pictures of your actual food?!?
January 15, 2026 at 6:10 PM
Ok Bluesky image sleuths. There’s a new restaurant in town and I was looking at their website and I’m a bit troubled.
I hope I’m wrong, but this is AI, right?
Why would you use AI images of food instead of pictures of your actual food?!?
I hope I’m wrong, but this is AI, right?
Why would you use AI images of food instead of pictures of your actual food?!?
Reposted by Steve Valeika DVM PhD
No cream of tartar for dogs!!!
Fun fact, tartaric acid is the toxic principle in grapes and raisins that causes renal failure in dogs. This was unknown for years until some veterinary toxicologists came across dogs with similar path findings after eating large amounts of homemade playdough, which often has cream of tartar
January 15, 2026 at 4:30 AM
No cream of tartar for dogs!!!
Reposted by Steve Valeika DVM PhD
The full protocol of the study in Guinea Bissau provides no reassurance. If anything is spells out just how insanely unethical the planned study is. The PI who wrote the protocol tried to defend the indefensible by writing to me directly. I responded publicly.
Read 👇
substack.com/@bktitanji/n...
Read 👇
substack.com/@bktitanji/n...
January 15, 2026 at 2:10 PM
The full protocol of the study in Guinea Bissau provides no reassurance. If anything is spells out just how insanely unethical the planned study is. The PI who wrote the protocol tried to defend the indefensible by writing to me directly. I responded publicly.
Read 👇
substack.com/@bktitanji/n...
Read 👇
substack.com/@bktitanji/n...
This is a must read. Point by point rebuttal of Bandim’s incredibly superficial hand waving away of ethical concerns in the HepB trial. A great example of how we think about the concept of equipoise. This section in particular would make me crawl under a rock if I was tasked with defending the trial
January 15, 2026 at 3:13 PM
This is a must read. Point by point rebuttal of Bandim’s incredibly superficial hand waving away of ethical concerns in the HepB trial. A great example of how we think about the concept of equipoise. This section in particular would make me crawl under a rock if I was tasked with defending the trial
Reposted by Steve Valeika DVM PhD
This is the whole web.
January 15, 2026 at 3:29 AM
This is the whole web.
Whatever your thoughts on the upcoming RCT of HepB vaccination are, it is way worse. How bad?
THEY ARE NOT TESTING MOTHERS FOR HEPB INFECTION IN A COUNTRY WITH A 19% PREVALENCE BEFORE RANDOMIZATION
In depth breakdown from Dr Faust with input from Dr Boulware (who is an experienced trialist)
THEY ARE NOT TESTING MOTHERS FOR HEPB INFECTION IN A COUNTRY WITH A 19% PREVALENCE BEFORE RANDOMIZATION
In depth breakdown from Dr Faust with input from Dr Boulware (who is an experienced trialist)
The leaked protocol of the CDC-funded Hepatitis B vaccine trial in Guinea-Bissau. “This is another Tuskegee.”
It is worse because it is clear upfront that this is unethical and poorly designed.
@insidemedicine.skystack.xyz
open.substack.com/pub/insideme...
It is worse because it is clear upfront that this is unethical and poorly designed.
@insidemedicine.skystack.xyz
open.substack.com/pub/insideme...
Scoop: The leaked protocol of the CDC-funded Hepatitis B vaccine trial in Guinea-Bissau. “This is another Tuskegee.”
The protocol reveals that the trial will withhold the Hepatitis B birth dose from thousands—without placebos, without universal maternal screening, and with endpoints critics call indefensible.
open.substack.com
January 15, 2026 at 1:24 PM
Whatever your thoughts on the upcoming RCT of HepB vaccination are, it is way worse. How bad?
THEY ARE NOT TESTING MOTHERS FOR HEPB INFECTION IN A COUNTRY WITH A 19% PREVALENCE BEFORE RANDOMIZATION
In depth breakdown from Dr Faust with input from Dr Boulware (who is an experienced trialist)
THEY ARE NOT TESTING MOTHERS FOR HEPB INFECTION IN A COUNTRY WITH A 19% PREVALENCE BEFORE RANDOMIZATION
In depth breakdown from Dr Faust with input from Dr Boulware (who is an experienced trialist)
Crazy thing about Bluesky is how some of the biggest accounts are pathetically thin skinned.
January 14, 2026 at 10:00 PM
Crazy thing about Bluesky is how some of the biggest accounts are pathetically thin skinned.
Reposted by Steve Valeika DVM PhD
A new preprint further questions the validity of studies claiming “non-specific effects” from vaccines.
www.medrxiv.org/content/10.6...
www.medrxiv.org/content/10.6...
Non-specific effects of vaccines on all-cause mortality: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) 2012-2025
Background Early observational studies reported substantial reductions in all-cause mortality, suggesting that childhood vaccines might influence health in ways beyond their targeted disease. Such Non...
www.medrxiv.org
January 14, 2026 at 8:59 PM
A new preprint further questions the validity of studies claiming “non-specific effects” from vaccines.
www.medrxiv.org/content/10.6...
www.medrxiv.org/content/10.6...
When you’re posting about the ludicrous story from CBS News and you link to their story about it, that’s actually good for them.
January 14, 2026 at 7:12 PM
When you’re posting about the ludicrous story from CBS News and you link to their story about it, that’s actually good for them.
Reposted by Steve Valeika DVM PhD
You’ve Got a Friend in Me: The influenza virus can count on @SecKennedy to continue feeding it children, explains @pauloffit.bsky.social. open.substack.com/pub/pauloffi...
You’ve Got a Friend in Me
Influenza virus can rest assured that RFK Jr. will continue to have its back
open.substack.com
January 14, 2026 at 1:42 AM
You’ve Got a Friend in Me: The influenza virus can count on @SecKennedy to continue feeding it children, explains @pauloffit.bsky.social. open.substack.com/pub/pauloffi...
Dog toys have gotten out of hand. This is a “Dragonfly”
January 14, 2026 at 5:27 PM
Dog toys have gotten out of hand. This is a “Dragonfly”
Those machines in the background are what keep him alive.
Trump looking great today. Very strong, very powerful.
January 13, 2026 at 7:06 PM
Those machines in the background are what keep him alive.
Reposted by Steve Valeika DVM PhD
This is new ACIP member Adam Urato.
Anyone tweeting about the dangers of thalidomide in pregnancy needs to acknowledge the fact that IT WAS NEVER FDA APPROVED IN THE US!
Anyone tweeting about the dangers of thalidomide in pregnancy needs to acknowledge the fact that IT WAS NEVER FDA APPROVED IN THE US!
January 13, 2026 at 5:32 PM
This is new ACIP member Adam Urato.
Anyone tweeting about the dangers of thalidomide in pregnancy needs to acknowledge the fact that IT WAS NEVER FDA APPROVED IN THE US!
Anyone tweeting about the dangers of thalidomide in pregnancy needs to acknowledge the fact that IT WAS NEVER FDA APPROVED IN THE US!
I got to speak with a local reporter about measles, vaccines, and vaccine hesitancy today. We are 50 miles from the epicenter of the biggest outbreak, and recently had 3 cases in our county. It made me appreciate how lucky #Asheville is to have an independent news outlet in The Asheville Watchdog.
January 13, 2026 at 5:35 PM
I got to speak with a local reporter about measles, vaccines, and vaccine hesitancy today. We are 50 miles from the epicenter of the biggest outbreak, and recently had 3 cases in our county. It made me appreciate how lucky #Asheville is to have an independent news outlet in The Asheville Watchdog.
Reposted by Steve Valeika DVM PhD
This is also how we landed on “we all know defund was a disaster” and “protests are counterproductive,” despite copious political science literature showing the George Floyd protests increased Biden’s vote share. Because the empirical data is less important than the narrative and who gets to set it.
January 13, 2026 at 4:19 PM
This is also how we landed on “we all know defund was a disaster” and “protests are counterproductive,” despite copious political science literature showing the George Floyd protests increased Biden’s vote share. Because the empirical data is less important than the narrative and who gets to set it.
Nature is lit
Don't be fooled! This is NOT a venomous snake.
It just looks like one.
You're looking at a Giant Dead Leaf Mantis (Deroplatys desiccata), native to Malaysia, Philippines & Borneo.
These little guys are masters of disguise. This is their "scary sharp-toothed predator" trick, but they have MORE!
It just looks like one.
You're looking at a Giant Dead Leaf Mantis (Deroplatys desiccata), native to Malaysia, Philippines & Borneo.
These little guys are masters of disguise. This is their "scary sharp-toothed predator" trick, but they have MORE!
January 13, 2026 at 1:58 PM
Nature is lit
Horrible headline. This is like having an article about ADHD drugs titled “Speed leads the pack.” Whatever potential benefits there are for psychedelic therapy are already confounded in a shroud of hard to interpret studies (placebo impossible) and out of control hype. This framing doesn’t help.
’Shrooms Lead the Pack in Psychedelic Medicine, but Rollout Is Bumpy
www.nytimes.com
January 13, 2026 at 1:23 PM
Horrible headline. This is like having an article about ADHD drugs titled “Speed leads the pack.” Whatever potential benefits there are for psychedelic therapy are already confounded in a shroud of hard to interpret studies (placebo impossible) and out of control hype. This framing doesn’t help.