This Week in Parasitism (Medicine)
TWiP is a podcast about the tiny creatures that live in and on us.

The TWiP professors solve the case of the Woman With Intracellular Ring Forms, and explore the role of Coxiella and Rickettsia endosymbionts in acquisition of Babesia by ticks.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, and Daniel Griffin

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Case Study for TWiP 157

Back to Thailand. Housewife, complaint has multiple red bumps on body, intense itching, worse at night. On head, legs, upper chest. Also does not feel well, feverish, muscle aches, difficulty breathing. Moved into abandoned residence, symptoms began a few days later. Many coconut husks around. Thatched roof. Husband and children developed similar symptoms. No med/surg history, no allergies. No meds. Unused mattresses, rat nests around. No toxic habits, no travel. No pets. On exam: not febrile, not toxic, increased heart, breathing comfortably. Has multiple red papules, central punctum. Labs unremarkable. Diff: unremarkable 6% eosinophils. Skin scraping from lesion on chest done.

Send your case diagnosis, questions and comments to twip@microbe.tv

Music by Ronald Jenkees

Direct download: TWiP157.mp3
Category:Medicine -- posted at: 6:56am PDT

The TWiP crew solves the case of the Ecuadorian with Immunodeficiency and Chronic Diarrhea, and discuss oral transmission of Chagas disease in mice.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, and Daniel Griffin

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Case Study for TWiP 156

While on ID consultant service on LI during July, asked to see woman in late 70s admitted for fever, confusion, diarrhea. 2-3 days of abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting. Week prior was a family party, drank two large glasses Scotch. Had watery, nonbloody diarrhea 4-5 times per day; vomiting 2-3 times/day. Developed 103F fever, headache, lost appetite, 4-5 days did not eat. Hospitalized. No one else in party became ill. 2005 had episode of turning yellow after visiting Nepal. No surgeries, no allergies, no diseases running in family. ITP on prednisone, other drugs listen to podcast as well as PMH. Social history: worked in retail shop in Kathmandu, retired. Born west Bengal India, moved to Kathmandu as teenager, lived until 50s in nice part of town. Moved to LI 25 years ago, returns periodically to Nepal, last in 2017 for 2 months. Earlier this month had done 3 day camping trip with family on LI in tents. Brought water to drink, no contact with animals. Belly: small liver on percussion, no enlarged spleen, fluid wave, belly distended, white count elevated 38,000, no eosinophils. CAT scan of belly: cirrhotic liver, some acidic fluid. Notice intracellular ring forms less than 4% on smear.

Send your case diagnosis, questions and comments to twip@microbe.tv

Music by Ronald Jenkees

Direct download: TWiP156.mp3
Category:Medicine -- posted at: 7:37am PDT

Justin joins the TWiP team to solve the case of the Gentleman with B cell Lymphoma, and consider the finding of Dracunculus species in river otters from Arkansas.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, and Daniel Griffin

Guest: Justin Aaron

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Case Study for TWiP 155

Another challenging one. 60 yo man with poorly defined immunodeficiency: low Ig, low T cells, on chronic Ig therapy. Admitted with 1 yr chronic diarrhea. Had upper endoscopy, inflammation of duodenum, crypt hyperplasia, diffuse ulceration. Lower colonoscopy: granular appearance to cecal mucosa. Loss of haustral folds. Biopsies done and sent for culture. PMH: poorly understood interstitial lung disease. Unable to work, no toxic habits. Born Ecuador, moved to US in early 40s, living in Staten Island. No fever, bp low, hr >100, resp high teens. Remarkable: looks frail but not terribly ill. Labs: normal WBC, shifted to left with increase in neutrophils and eosinophils. Albumin low; respiratory pathogen positive for rhinovirus. Serum CMV: >4000 (virus measurement). Started on ivermectin, WBC rises, broad spectrum Ab.

Send your case diagnosis, questions and comments to twip@microbe.tv

Music by Ronald Jenkees

Direct download: TWiP155.mp3
Category:Medicine -- posted at: 7:55pm PDT

Vincent and Daniel solve the case of the Man in the City with Groin Rash, catch up on the long backlog of email, and present a new case, possibly the most complex one yet on the show.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello and Daniel Griffin

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Case Study for TWiP 154

Daniel's colleague will solve this case, in two weeks. 79 year old man history of chronic lymphocytic leukemia that became B cell lymphoma, had chemotherapy a few weeks before coming. Was discharged with scrip for prednisone, but pharmacy made error gave him enough to take every day for over two weeks. Patient has fevers up to 100 degrees at home, headache, develops dry nonproductive cough. Brought to ER by family, there reports has lost weight. No nausea, no vomiting, no abdominal pain or diarrhea. Admitted to hospital. Has fever, chest x-ray suggests pneumonia, started on ab. Fever and symptoms continue, stop steroids. Chest CT shows multifocal ground glass opacifications and nodules. Increase ab to broader spectrum, ID is consulted. Positive test for latent TB. History hypertension, coronary artery disease, enlarged prostate. Gets bactrim, antifungal, antiviral. Born in DR, living in US since 70s. Visits occasionally had been a few months before. Lives with wife, no pets, no smoking, no toxic habits. Heart rate in 90s, looking fatigued, coughing, scattered crackles in lung, old systolic murmur, no rashes, confused, but family says he is always like that. TB test is negative. Negative for strongyloides. WBC count has increased, 30% eosinophils (over 7000). Stool ONP ordered but becomes constipated. CAT scan of belly shows thickening of colon.

Send your case diagnosis, questions and comments to twip@microbe.tv

Music by Ronald Jenkees

Direct download: TWiP154.mp3
Category:Medicine -- posted at: 6:33pm PDT

Vincent and Daniel solve the case of the Panamanian Farmer with Three Weeks of Diarrhea, and discuss how microbes egested during bites of sand flies exacerbate the severity of leishmaniasis.

Hosts: Vincent Racanielloand Daniel Griffin

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Case Study for TWiP 153

Man in clinic, in city recently, developed rash in groin area, concerned about this. Lives in open relationship with male partner, had sexual encounter with another male. Few weeks. Rash is in the pubic hair, is very itchy. Mostly around umbilicus, can see blue spots in this area. These are skin changes. Buys magnifying glass to look and describes seeing things which we see as well. No notable medical history.

Send your case diagnosis, questions and comments to twip@microbe.tv

Music by Ronald Jenkees

Direct download: TWiP153.mp3
Category:Medicine -- posted at: 6:54pm PDT

The TWiPers solve the case of the Panamanian Man With Leg Ulcer, and describe how a crab predator preferentially feeds on parasite infected prey - even though the parasite makes them faster!

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, and Daniel Griffin

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Case Study for TWiP 150

Up to Costa Rican border, travel by boat 2.5 hr, up stream through mangroves. Mobile med clinic in village in small island in archipelago. Mother concerned about two children, have a very itchy rash on trunk and arms. Worse at night, needs medicine. Boy is 6 yo, has rash on buttocks, arms, genital area. Nothing out of ordinary in medical history. Living in same village as previous case, few hundred people, home has slat wood floors, toilet is over water. Dogs, pigs, chickens; no electricity; water comes off roof. On exam see rash, on dermoscopy see 1 cm long brown lines, clotted blood deltas at end. In this area many kids have this rash.

Send your case diagnosis, questions and comments to twip@microbe.tv

Music by Ronald Jenkees

Direct download: TWiP150.mp3
Category:Medicine -- posted at: 8:15am PDT

The TWiP-tologists solve the case of the South American Child With Belly Pain, and reveal how B1 cell IgE blocks parasite clearance by inhibiting mast cell activation by B2 cell IgE.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, and Daniel Griffin

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Case Study for TWiP 148

Will have a guest on next show to unveil! Female teenager living in NYC, previously in good health, rash for 2 week, abnormal feeling in legs. Initially had URT infection, no cough or fever. Rash is itchy, worse at night. But feeling of pins and needles, sharp stabbing in feet and legs. In ER told is zoster, started on gabapentin. Few days later fevers, pain getting worse. Seen by neurologist and ID doc, admitted. No past med/surg. Type 1 diabetes in aunt, father migraines, no autoimmune diseases. Had received chickenpox vaccine! Social: lives with parents and younger brother, much travel, Holland, Hawaii, most recent, pet lizard. In Hawaii, salad that she ate but no one else. Physical: febrile, heart rate >110, bp ok. Does not want to move because of pain. Neurological: extremity movement is slow. Rash irregular on chest, neck, back, abdomen. Labs: white normal, not much shift. Sed: 24, slightly increased. Lumbar puncture: increased white cells 280, 32% eosinophils.

Send your case diagnosis, questions and comments to twip@microbe.tv

Music by Ronald Jenkees

Direct download: TWiP148.mp3
Category:Medicine -- posted at: 1:31pm PDT

The TWiP Wataalamu solve the case of the One Year Old From Kenya With Moving Skin Lesions, and describe how to make mosquitoes refractory to Plasmodium with engineered symbiotic bacteria.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, and Daniel Griffin

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Case Study for TWiP 141

A 59 yo Spanish speaking female on Long Island originally from Guatemala. Goes to ER after returning from 10 day trip to visit friends and relatives in Guatemala and El Salvador with fever, cough, diffuse muscle aches, fatigue, chills. Respiratory pathogen panel done, positive for rhinovirus. Told that it's just a virus, go home. 5 days later returns with fever and chills, pain in upper belly, feels constipated. Admitted. No past med/surg, no allergies, no significant family history, no meds. Works cleaning houses. Travel: spends most time in and around big cities, lots of exposure to animals, ate all local fare; conch ceviche, fresh eggs, flattened chicken dish. Elevated white count left shifted, neutrophils increased, eosinophils cleared; cultured Salmonella from blood. IV antibiotics given, gets better, about to go out the hospital door, when results of stool O&P comes back from initial admission. Observed: Entamoeba coli; Endolimax nana; Blastocystis hominis. Released to home, 2 weeks later feels fine.

Send your case diagnosis, questions and comments to twip@microbe.tv

Music by Ronald Jenkees

Direct download: TWiP141.mp3
Category:Medicine -- posted at: 5:20am PDT

The TWiPwalas solve the case of the Woman with a Worm in Her Eye, and discuss the role of nitric oxide in the resistance of rats to Schistosoma japonicum.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, and Daniel Griffin

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Case Study for TWiP 139

Seen at Columbia Medical Center, a crossover. Woman in 30s returns to US after 2 years in Peace Corp, Cameroon and Gabon. On medical exam 2 years earlier: eosiniphilia noted, no diagnosis reached. Now comes to NYC 2 years later to attend grad school, again eosinophilia noted. Asymptomatic.

Send your case diagnosis, questions and comments to twip@microbe.tv

Music by Ronald Jenkees

Direct download: TWiP139.mp3
Category:Medicine -- posted at: 5:29am PDT

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