Did you know that St. Louis has a virus named after it?

In this episode of Show Me History, we uncover the forgotten public health crisis that struck St. Louis during the sweltering summer of 1933: an outbreak of what would come to be known as St. Louis Encephalitis Virus (SLEV). With over 1,100 reported cases and at least 200 deaths, the city found itself at the center of a medical mystery - one eventually linked to the tiniest and deadliest of culprits: mosquitoes.

Learn how local doctors and scientists, including a pioneering female pathologist, cracked the case and helped give the virus its name. We’ll also explore what this illness looks like today, who’s still at risk, and why it continues to resurface across the U.S.

It’s a chilling chapter in medical history — and yet another reason to keep swatting at mosquitoes.

All research, editing, and production by River City Productions for Show-Me History.

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Thank you for listening — and as always, we’ll see you in the Lou.