This Week in Parasitism

TWiP solves the case of the NYC woman in her 30s who developed 3 weeks of significant watery diarrhea after eating at a Taco Bell Restaurant.
Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Daniel Griffin, and Christina Naula
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Letters read on TWiP 288
Parasite of the month – Parelaphostrongylus tenuis — meningeal worm (brainworm) Wikipedia entry
P. tenuis in ruminants (Food Animal Pract)
P. tenuis in white-tailed deer (Int J Parasitol Parasites and Wildlife)

TWiP study – information and survey
New Case
Early teen, otherwise healthy, develops rash, for a few weeks, problem at night. All over the body. Helps with backyard chicken coop, plays with chickens. Dad looks through bedding, finds tiny red mobile things. Suggest changing bedding, tell teen not to help with chickens. Then rash disappears in a few days.
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Music by Ronald Jenkees

Mumtaz Balkhi joins TWiP to discuss phase 1 and 1b trials of the schistosomiasis vaccine SchistoShield which demonstrate that it induces functional immune memory responses in US and African populations.
Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Daniel Griffin, and Christina Naula
Guest: Mumtaz Y. Balkhi
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SchistoShield Phase 1 and 1b results (npj Vaccines)
TWiP study – information and survey
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Music by Ronald Jenkees

TWiP solves the case of the adult female with a 2 year old child who develops anal irritation, but the child and the husband are fine.
Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Daniel Griffin, and Christina Naula
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Letters read on TWiP 286
Hero – Otto Wucherer
TWiP study – information and survey
New Case
Recent case. Woman in 20s, lives in NYC, goes to urgent care with 3 weeks of significant watery diarrhea, not improving. Otherwise healthy, no travel, works in office in NYC, at some point prior to onset she ate at a Taco Bell. Put on twice a day medication, molecular test of stool confirms diagnosis. Don't know when, or what she ate. Trying to replenish fluid losses. Not immunosuppressed.
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Music by Ronald Jenkees

TWiP reviews our current understanding of the biology of Cyclospora, the parasite currently causing a large multistate outbreak in the US traced to contaminated lettuce, and why it is so difficult to control.
Hosts: Vincent Racaniello and Christina Naula
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Current Knowledge of Cyclospora cayetanensis (Comp Rev Food Sci Food Safety)
TWiP study – information and survey
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Music by Ronald Jenkees

TWiP solves the case of the 39-year-old man originally from Guatemala, who moved to one of the NYC boroughs in 2023 and presented with headaches for nearly 1 year.
Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Daniel Griffin, and Christina Naula
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Letters read on TWiP 284
TWiP study – information and survey
New Case
Recent ID consult: MD/PhD mother doing research, married with child 2 yo, female develops anal irritation, husband is fine, child is fine. Parasitic etiology is considered. Referred to academic ID providers, turns out she had this etiology considered, had received some treatment, got a little better, symptoms returned, treated again, got better, symptoms returned. Got some hard to find testing equipment, and confirm suspicion. Treat once, then again in two weeks. Not any better, still irritation. What do we do? HIV neg, no prior medical issues, no travel. 
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Send your questions and comments to twip@microbe.tv
Music by Ronald Jenkees