This Week in Parasitism

TWiP solves the case of the Manhattan man with pain on urination or ejaculation, and presents a new case for you to solve. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, Daniel Griffin, and Christina Naula Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Links for this episode Join the MicrobeTV Discord server Hero: Charles Louis Alphonse Laveran Letters read on TWiP 247 New Case A middle-aged male is referred to evaluation because of eosinophilia. This man is married, living here in the NY tristate area, and this was picked up on ‘routine blood work’ by his primary care doctor. This man had been in the military, serving as a marine, with time spent in Okinawa, Japan. This individual does report sexual activity with paid sex workers while in Okinawa  but has been monogamous with his current wife for many years. A number of investigations are done with a test coming back showing serological evidence of a prior parasitic infection and he was treated with an antiparasitic medicine with resolution of the eosinophilia. The eosinophilia returned and he was referred to us. Blood work is now down showing evidence of a viral infection that might explain why the eosinophilia returned after treatment. Pt is HIV negative. This was prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. He is on no medications and in general feels fine. Become a patron of TWiP  Send your questions and comments to [email protected] Music by Ronald Jenkees

TWiP taps into Dickson’s knowledge of Trichinella to discuss an outbreak in humans who consumed rare bear meat, and the impact of globalization and climate change on the epidemiology of the species. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, and Daniel Griffin Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Links for this episode Join the MicrobeTV Discord server Outbreak of human trichinellosis (CCDR) Impact of climate change on Trichinella (Food Waterborne Parasit) Letters read on TWiP 246 Become a patron of TWiP  Send your questions and comments to [email protected] Music by Ronald Jenkees

Founder of Floating Doctors Ben LaBrot joins TWiP to solve the case of the 1 year old in northeastern Panama with a fatal leg infection, followed by a discussion of the history and mission of Floating Doctors. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Daniel Griffin, and Christina Naula Guest: Ben LaBrot Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Links for this episode Join the MicrobeTV Discord server Floating Doctors Letters read on TWiP 245 New Case A man in his early 20s comes in reporting pain when he urinates or ejaculates. He reports that he is sexually active. He does confide that he has been in a relationship with a woman but he had a sexual encounter outside this relationship about 2 weeks ago when they were on a break and he did not wear protection. He feels like he needs to urinate more often and describes thin white discharge from the penis. He reports that he has no history of any sexually transmitted infections and had no medical issues prior to this. Become a patron of TWiP  Send your questions and comments to [email protected] Music by Ronald Jenkees

Lilach Sheiner joins TWiP to talk about her career and her work on engineering Toxoplasma gondii secretion systems for intracellular delivery of multiple large therapeutic proteins to neurons. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, and Christina Naula Guest: Lilach Sheiner Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Links for this episode Join the MicrobeTV Discord server Engineering T. gondii for protein secretion (Nat Micro) Become a patron of TWiP  Send your questions and comments to [email protected] Music by Ronald Jenkees