Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, and Daniel Griffin

The TWiP trio solve the case of the Woman from Washington Heights, and reveal how helminth infection protects mice deficient in the Crohn's disease gene NOD2 from intestinal disease by inhibiting colonization with an inflammatory bacterial species.

Subscribe to TWiP (free) in iTunes, by the RSS feed or by email

Links for this episode:

• Helminth infection promotes colonization resistance (Science)
• NOD2 (Wikipedia)
• Image credit
• Letters read on TWiP 112

This episode is sponsored by CuriosityStream, a subscription streaming service that offers over 1,400 documentaries and non­fiction series from the world's best filmmakers. Get unlimited access starting at just $2.99 a month, and for our audience, the first two months are completely free if you sign up at curiositystream.com/microbe and use the promo code MICROBE.

Become a patron of TWiP.

Case Study for TWiP 112

A case here at CUMC, 59 yo male, past medical history of childhood polio, presents with worsening lower extremity weakness, bowel and urinary incontinence. 2 year before worsening back pain, weakness, could not work. Cannot walk up one flight of stairs since 1 month; 1 week prior to admission had fever, no headaches, diarrhea, cough, or any other symptoms. Splits time between Washington Heights and Mexico. Construction worker. Rural town in southern Mexico, 10 months of the year. Worked in the corn growing area. Has been exposed to bugs. Stopped working in cornfields 20 years ago. Has son and daughter, visits them. Lives with wife, stays in Mexico, she is fine. HIV negative. Eats home prepared foods, no dietary restrictions. Physical exam: not febrile, vital signs all good, neurological: upper strength good, weakness in hip flexors, ⅗; quadriceps, but ⅕ in lower extremities ⅖ in right. Sensory has decreased as well. Possibly spinal lesion. Labs: elevated glucose, ESR 33, CRP 2.2, whites 8, 30.6 hematocrit, guaiac negative. Imaging: MRI of spine shows normal vertebrae, T9/10 inflammation of spinal cord, mass lesion, compromise of canal. Brain MRI: hydrocephalus. Problem with recirculation of CSF. 

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

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, and Daniel Griffin

The TWiP trio solve the case of the bug bites all in a row, and talk about a secreted Toxoplasma protein that is central to the parasite's manipulation of host cells.

Subscribe to TWiP (free) in iTunes, Google Play Music, by the RSS feed or by email

Links for this episode:

• Pigeon mites feed on humans at night (EPA)
• Secreted Toxoplasma protein (mBio)
• Image credit
• Letters read on TWiP 111

This episode is sponsored by CuriosityStream, a subscription streaming service that offers over 1,400 documentaries and non­fiction series from the world's best filmmakers. Get unlimited access starting at just $2.99 a month, and for our audience, the first two months are completely free if you sign up at curiositystream.com/microbe and use the promo code MICROBE.

Case Study for TWiP 111

82 yo woman living in Washington Heights NYC 10 days of watery diarrhea, not smelly, does not float. Wakes her up at night. No fever, sweats at night. Losing some weight, appetite. No recent travel. Born in DR early 1930s, moved to US age 30. Sometimes goes back but not for several years. Springtime. Lives with extended family, only one sick. Eats whole assortment of cooked foods, rice, beans, fresh fruits. Drinks tap water. Not working. No pets. Stays mostly inside. History of reflux, high blood pressure, cognitive decline, diagnosed with temporal giant cell arteritis. Put on prednisone, doing better. Has had gall bladder removed. HIV negative. Extended family works in city, no taxi drivers. Belly uncomfortable for >week. Temp 38.1, BP 116/78, HR 105, breathing 12/min. Exam: looks ill, has diffusely tender abdomen, decreased bowel sounds. Liver, spleen not enlarged. Oriented. Has rash on abdomen: odd patchy distribution, looks like multiple thumbprints, front of belly, extending from umbilicus. White count 8, 78 polys, 14 lymphs, 4 mono, 1 eosinophil. Sodium 129, BUN 15, Creat 0.6. Urine histoplasma negative, TB test negative.

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

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, and Daniel Griffin

Guest: Paul Calle

The TWiP trio visit the Bronx Zoo where Paul solves the case of the Four Year Old with Pulmonary Edema, and talks about his career as the Chief Veterinarian and Director of the Zoological Health program for the Wildlife Conservation Society.

Links for this episode:

• Bronx Zoo
• Avian malaria (Wikipedia)
• Letters read on TWiP 110
• Video of this episode at YouTube

This episode is sponsored by CuriosityStream, a subscription streaming service that offers over 1,400 documentaries and non­fiction series from the world's best filmmakers. Get unlimited access starting at just $2.99 a month, and for our audience, the first two months are completely free if you sign up at curiositystream.com/microbe and use the promo code MICROBE.

Case Study for TWiP 110

This week's case involves humans. Young woman, 40s, concerned about bug bites. Several weeks ago her 13 year old daughter woke up in morning, reported bug bites. Several small, red, raised itchy areas, 3-4 in a line, just above belt line. They go on vacation in Europe, no problems. Upon return, several weeks later the Mother woke up with a similar pattern. Then second daughter has the same problem. Family lives in NY metropolitan area, which is an epicenter for this problem. Always on trunk, not on arms or legs. No travel before the first daughter's bug bites. Husband does not report any problems. Family spends a lot of time outdoors, live in suburban wooden area.

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

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello and Daniel Griffin

Guest: Paul

Daniel and Vincent solve the case of the Truck Driver from India, discuss why parasites resistant to an antimalarial drug are not transmitted by mosquitoes, and introduce Paul who presents a new case study.

Links for this episode:

• Atovaquone resistant parasites not transmitted by mosquitoes (Science)
• Image credit
• Letters read on TWiP 109

This episode is sponsored by CuriosityStream, a subscription streaming service that offers over 1,400 documentaries and non­fiction series from the world's best filmmakers. Get unlimited access starting at just $2.99 a month, and for our audience, the first two months are completely free if you sign up at curiositystream.com/m​icrobe ​and use the promo code MICROBE​.

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

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, and Daniel Griffin

The case of the Man from Assam is solved, and phagocytosis of Leishmania by B-1 cells is brought to you by the Three Twipeteers on this episode of TWiP.

Subscribe to TWiP (free) in iTunes, Google Play Music, by the RSS feed or by email

Links for this episode:

• Kalazar detect (pdf)
• Phagocytosis of Leishmania promastigotes by B-1 cells (Parasite Immunol)
• Image credit
• Letters read on TWiP 108

This episode is sponsored by ASM Agar Art Contest and ASM Microbe 2016

Case study for TWiP 108

Todays case is a 26 yo male longhaul truck driver from northern tiger country of India. Comes into hospital at end of rainy season with 6 days of fever, chills, muscle aches, small loose stools, vomiting, trouble breathing, cough, decreased urine output. Lives in mud hut with coconut leaf roof. No one else in family  is sick (wife, two children). Significant animal and insect exposure (dogs, cows, monkeys). Got sick after coming home from a trip up north. No significant medical probs, no surgery. Really sick. Pain everywhere. Occasionally drinks palm wine. Some yellowing of eyes. Has lost a little weight. Ketonic breath. Exam: 39 fever, bp 100/71, 126 heart rate, 24 resp rate. Looks distressed, not fully sharp. Nothing focal on lung exam. Belly tender, esp upper right, spleen enlarged. Liver is tender but not enlarged. Some labs: bun elevated 102, creatinine elevated, Hg decreased 11, platelets 9000 (down), white count 10.3 no eosinophils. LDH 8000 AST/ALT normal, bilirubin 21. Never been this sick.

Send your diagnosis to twip@microbe.tv

Send your questions and comments to twip@microbe.tv

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, and Daniel Griffin

The TWiPtastic trio solves the case of the Surfer from Switzerland, and reveal how taste-chemosensory tuft cells in the gut regulate immune responses to parasites.

Links for this episode:

• Taste-chemosensory cells and parasite gut immunity (Science)
• Image credit
• Letters read on TWiP 107

This episode is sponsored by ASM Agar Art Contest and ASM Microbe 2016

 Case study for TWiP 107

Todays case is a fun case about a 45 year old gentleman from Assam India, with sixteen years of fever, abdominal pain, darkening of skin, yellowing of eyes. Farmer, does not have much energy. Works barefoot in fields. Fever occurs every other day. Prior medical problems, nothing out of the ordinary. No surgeries, no meds, has never seen physician. Married, kids, no extramarital affairs, HIV negative, eats mostly cooked vegetables. Lives in concrete house, no screens, mosquito netting. Other people in area have similar problems. Water comes from pump, fill plastic jugs. Been in Assam sick his whole life, finally came to regional med center for evaluation. Underweight. No pets. Dogs around, avoids dogs. Cows, monkeys are around. Fair appetite. Exam: febrile, in face can see darkening which is increasing, also extremities. Whites of eyes are yellow (jaundiced). Striking is has a very large liver, spleen. Elevated bilirubin. Some increased liver enzymes. No physical scarring or lesions.

Send your diagnosis to twip@microbe.tv

Send your questions and comments to twip@microbe.tv

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, and Daniel Griffin

The TWiP triumvirate solves the case of the Missionary in Kenya, and review the finding of a soldier caste in flatworms that parasitize snails.

Links for this episode:

• Social organization in parasitic flatworms (J Parasitol)
• Image credit
• Letters read on TWiP 106

This episode is sponsored by ASM Agar Art Contest

 Case study for TWiP 106

This week's case comes from an ophthalmologist colleague Florian in Switzerland. Swiss female, early 20s, returns after surfing vacation in northern Africa. Accommodations were rustic, lots of animal and insect exposure, right on the beach. No screens. Had loose stools there, now left eye is bothering her, eyelid swollen, eye red. This happened after return. Thinks she has seen things moving around in her eye. Opthalmologist gave eyedrops, now looking for second opinion. Healthy, no med/surg/allergies, no meds, student lives alone, occasional alcohol. No AIDS. Surfing in Morocco. Lots of insect bites. Little tiny things moving around in eye, on surface when she looks in mirror. All blood work was negative. Florian inspects her eye, surprised to see several tiny mobile objects, headed towards lacrymal ducts. Is able to grab one, about 1 mm long, plucks three off.

Send your diagnosis to twip@microbe.tv

Send your questions and comments to twip@microbe.tv

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, and Daniel Griffin

The TWiPanosomes solve the case of the Young Man from Anchorage, and discuss how cestode parasites increase the resistance of brine shrimp to arsenic toxicity.

Links for this episode:

• Trichinella life cycle (pdf)
• When parasites are good for health (PLoS Path)
• The Origin of AIDS by Jacques Pepin
• Letters read on TWiP 105

 Case study for TWiP 105

This week's case involves a 32 yo male with several concerns. Spent 6 weeks doing religious missionary work in Kenya, performed baptisms in Lake Victoria.Waist deep in water, no shoes. Took malaria drugs, ate lots of interesting foods: cichlids, ugali, corn based food, flavored with greens; stew with some sort of meat, beef and goat. Five weeks after return developed rash with fever, shortness of breath. Three of four friends who were with him in Kenya reported similar symptoms. The fourth who did not get sick did not go in water, nor did he eat very much. No medical/surgical history, no drugs. Had some sexual activity while there. Elevated white count, 70% eosinophils. Chest CT shows nodules in lungs. Doc told him, allergy, you will be fine. The water he went into is near a village, there are rodents nearby, and a runoff.

Send your diagnosis to twip@microbe.tv

Send your questions and comments to twip@microbe.tv

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, and Daniel Griffin

Guest: Michael Libman

Michael returns to help the TWiP trio solve the case of the Delusional African Expatriate, and discuss the association of natural and induced antibodies in mice with differential susceptibility to secondary cystic echinococcosis.

Links for this episode:

• T. brucei life cycle (pdf)
• Natural and induced antibodies in echinococcosis (Immunobiol)
• The collaborative cross
• Letters read on TWiP 104

 Case study for TWiP 104

This week's case involves a young man in his thirties, admitted in hospital in Anchorage AK in early June. Chief complaint, severe muscle pain and tenderness. Usually healthy guy, 1 week ago had bad case of diarrhea with belly pain and vomiting, lasted a full week. Now has fever. Concerned because wife now is having diarrhea. Unremarkable history, unknown family history. HIV negative. All childhood vaccinations. Does not eat raw meat. No meds, does seasonal work, social drinker. Came back from successful hunt, got a black bear. Dressed in field, cooked at home really well. Wife also ate bear meat. Bear meat is in freezer. No vegetables. Also eats salmon which he caught the previous season, then frozen. Drinks water from the stream when he hunts. Physical exam: hot, 38.5, bp 115/75, pulse 105, breathing comfortably. Anxious, swelling around both eyes. Sclera not noted. Labs: WBC elevated 14,000, 30% eosinophils; chemistries fine; muscle enzymes LDH, CK elevated.

Send your diagnosis to twip@microbe.tv

Send your questions and comments to twip@microbe.tv

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, and Daniel Griffin

Guest: Michael Libman

The TWiP-scholars solve the case of the Housewife from Kolkata, discuss mutations in the IL17 gene associated with cerebral malaria, and hear a case presentation from guest Michael Libman.

Links for this episode:

• IL-17 mutations and risk of cerebral malaria (Inf and Imm)
• Echinococcosis (CDC)
• Echinococcus life cycle (pdf)
• Letters read on TWiP 103

 Case study for TWiP 103

This week's case concerns a 42 yo male, refugee in Canada, from DRC, former Zaire, where there is unending civil war. Upper middle class, professor of French at university. Had been imprisoned, tortured, lived in jungle for a few years, reached refugee camp in Tanzania, moved to Canada. Came to health care system 15 months after arrived. Was sent to psych, unstable emotionally, delusions, hallucinations, depression, post traumatic issues. Was under psych care for ~1 yr, did not improve, became worse. Sent to hospital. History: talked about having minor injury, hurt lower back, pain there bothering him. Some anemia (normochromic), basic hem/chem/urine/liver nothing remarkable. Physical exam, nothing remarkable. HIV negative. Some evidence for chronic inflammatory condition: sed rate 60 (elevated), had diffuse increase in IgG, IgM. Developed some low level autoantibodies; anti-nuclear, p-anka, anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies. Slightly elevated fever for a few days, then few days or week with no fever. No eosinophilia. Radiology: on CT did have some mediastinal, aortic, axillae, lymphadenopathy. Prob screened in Africa for malaria and treated; prob also got ivermectin. Also got head MRI: not completely normal, classic nonspecific midbrain abnormality. Diffuse mild edema. Weight loss remarkable. No visual problems.

Send your diagnosis to twip@microbe.tv

Send your questions and comments to twip@microbe.tv