This Week in Parasitism

TWiP explains the results of a two-year study in dogs in Chad showing that the drug Flubendazole reduces emerging Dracunculus medinensis, the agent of Guinea worm disease.
Hosts: Vincent Racaniello. and Daniel Griffin
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Treating canine Guinea worm disease in Chad (PLoS NTD)
TWiP study – information and survey
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Music by Ronald Jenkees

TWiP solves the case of the patient who developed an intensely itchy, red papular rash after close contact with chickens and their bedding, where small mites were found.
Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Daniel Griffin, and Christina Naula
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Hero of the Month: Ogobara Doumbo (Lancet, AJTMH, Lancet)
Letters read on TWiP 290
New Case
Man in 30s with well controlled diabetes, elevated AST ALT liver tests, asymptomatic. Ultrasound of liver, multiple cysts. Born in rural Yemen, grew up on farm with cattle, sheep, donkeys, 3-4 indoor/outdoor dogs, bathroom inside house, frequently swam in fresh water, as adult worked in construction, 2010 moved to capital, in 2017 Moved to US works in Brooklyn.
March 2023 get abnormal lab results. Decide to follow, 1 year later, repeat ultrasound, 3 new lesions 1-2 cm range, triggers abdominal MRI, has enlarged liver 21 cm, hepatic steatosis, cysts. June 2024 has acute right side lower back pain, goes to ED, they say its musculoskeletal. A year later May 2025 goes back to Yemen, develops abdominal discomfort, then resolves.

Oct 2025 develops day of severe diffuse abdominal pain, fever, admitted with wbc elevated, eosinophil 100, liver enzymes normal. CT shows multiple cysts 6.5 x 5 cm, with small internal cysts, few have internal enhancing curvilinear serpiginous material. 
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Music by Ronald Jenkees

TWiP explains a single-cell analysis of immune cells in the blood of dogs with canine leishmaniosis, providing a detailed picture of how the immune response changes as the disease progresses.
Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Daniel Griffin, and Christina Naula
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Single immune cell atlas of canine leishmaniosis (iScience)
Clinical staging in CanL (LeishVet)
TWiP study – information and survey
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Music by Ronald Jenkees

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