TWiP 97: The seven year itch

The paratenic hosts reveal a case of scabies in the Traveling Salesman, and discuss a role for natural antibody in protection from infection with Plasmodium.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, and Daniel Griffin

• Parasite Nobel Prizes 2015
• Ivermectin story (Nat Rev Micro)
• Ivermectin target (Brain Res)
• Gut microbiota and Plasmodium protection (Cell)
• Natural antibody (virology blog)
• Image credit
• Letters read on TWiP 97

Case study for TWiP 97

Daniel has two cases this week. Two people with similar presentations. A 12 yo girl in Peru presented for care with painless dark brown area on right knee. Has brothers and sisters, often play together. No trauma, but area is expanding. Months later develops cognitive changes. Second case is a 5 yo boy from the coastal region of Peru brought in by Mother, has red swollen area on face. Mom says while playing scratched nose, swelling right cheek, eye, nasal obstruction, no response to antibiotics. MRI of both show infiltrating process. Girl, left side of brain, middle cerebral artery territory. Boy in frontal region, midline area. Thus both skin lesions associated with infiltrating process in brain. Came into clinic months after lesions started, and lesions still present.

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