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This Week in Parasitism

This Week in Parasitism

Vincent Racaniello

285 episodesEN

Show overview

This Week in Parasitism has been publishing since 2009, and across the 17 years since has built a catalogue of 285 episodes. That works out to roughly 390 hours of audio in total. Releases follow a monthly cadence.

Episodes typically run an hour to ninety minutes — most land between 1h 9m and 1h 35m — and the run-time is fairly consistent across the catalogue. None of the episodes are flagged explicit by the publisher. It is catalogued as a EN-language Science show.

The show is actively publishing — the most recent episode landed 2 weeks ago, with 14 episodes already out so far this year. The busiest year was 2024, with 24 episodes published. Published by Vincent Racaniello.

Episodes
285
Running
2009–2026 · 17y
Median length
1h 23m
Cadence
Monthly

From the publisher

TWiP is a monthly netcast about eukaryotic parasites. Vincent Racaniello and Dickson Despommier, science Professors from Columbia University, deconstruct parasites, how they cause illness, and how you can prevent infections.

Latest Episodes

View all 285 episodes

TWiP 285: Why Is Cyclospora So Hard to Contain? Parasitologists Explain the 2026 US Outbreak

Aug 6, 202652 min

TWiP 284: It's not the pork

Jul 27, 202650 min

TWiP 283: Warming up to cryptosporidiosis

Jul 7, 20261h 0m

TWiP 282: Does he live in New York?

Jun 24, 202653 min

TWiP 281: Ants under the influence

Jun 22, 202658 min

TWiP 280: The wriggling diagnosis

May 29, 202657 min

TWiP 279: Tolling for hookworms

May 1, 202650 min

TWiP 278: Trichinella from eating bear eyeballs

Apr 24, 202656 min

TWiP 277: Rif-ing on river blindness

Apr 21, 20261h 3m

Ep 276TWiP 276: Travel history is the key

TWiP solves the case of the man in his 60s experiencing weight loss, fatigue, and loss of appetite. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Daniel Griffin, and Christina Naula Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Links for this episode Join the MicrobeTV Discord server Hero: Bailey K. Ashford Letters read on TWiP 276 TWiP study – information and survey New Case Male in his 20s from Hokkaido, Japan, developed fatigue and rash, followed by fever and myalgia 6 days later. He was a group of five individuals on a hunting trip prior to this and reports that 3 friends are just fine but one other individual developed similar symptoms. He reports that they had been hunting the Ussuri brown bear, which is larger and more aggressive than the Asian black bear. They had been successful and all five of them had consumed well cooked bear meat. He does share that he is aware of infectious risk from eating bear and thus the meat was well cooked. He and the one fellow hunter who did get sick were unique in that they each ate one of the eye balls raw. This is a tradition that is felt to give the consumer the great vision that these animals are purported to have. Become a patron of TWiP Send your questions and comments to [email protected] Music by Ronald Jenkees

Mar 23, 20261h 16m

Ep 275TWiP 275: Novel malaria vector control

TWiP reviews the effectiveness of long-lasting spatial repellent emanators against malaria in humanitarian crisis settings in northern Nigeria, and Dengue suppression by male Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Daniel Griffin, and Christina Naula Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Links for this episode Join the MicrobeTV Discord server Spatial emanators for malaria control (Lancet Inf Dis) Dengue suppression with Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes (NEJM) Singapore Environmental Health Institute (TWiV 630) TWiP study – information and survey Become a patron of TWiP Send your questions and comments to [email protected]

Mar 12, 202642 min

Ep 274TWiP 274: Four tablets for bloating

TWiP solves the case of the 40 year old male who travels to India and develops intestinal bloating and diarrhea. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Daniel Griffin, and Christina Naula Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Links for this episode Join the MicrobeTV Discord server Hero: Glenn L. Hoffmann Fish and seafood consumption (Our World in Data) Wild fish vs aquaculture (Our World in Data) TWiP study – information and survey Become a patron of TWiP Send your questions and comments to [email protected] Music by Ronald Jenkees

Feb 17, 202647 min

Ep 273TWiP 273: Intestinal parasites in dogs

TWiP reviews intestinal parasites in dogs and their association with clinical manifestations of canine visceral leishmaniasis. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Daniel Griffin, and Christina Naula Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Links for this episode Join the MicrobeTV Discord server Intestinal parasites in dogs (Vet Parasitol) Zoonotic protozoal diseases of companion animals (Clin Micr Rev) Canine visceral leishmaniasis in stray and owned dogs in Brazil (Acta tropica) Zoonotic protozoal diseases of companion animals (Clin Micr Rev) Canine visceral leishmaniasis (Leish Vet, pdf) Immune Responses in leishmaniasis (Trop Med Inf Dis) Canine leishmaniasis in the US (Today's Vet Prac) TWiP study - information and survey Become a patron of TWiP Send your questions and comments to [email protected] Music by Ronald Jenkees

Feb 6, 20261h 5m

Ep 272TWiP 272: Don't look and you won't find

TWiP solves the case about the man with positive Strongyloides serology who is waiting for a kidney transplant. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Daniel Griffin, and Christina Naula Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Links for this episode Join the MicrobeTV Discord server Chronic strongyloidiasis (Australian Family Physician) Hero: Gwendoleen Rees (Wikipedia) TWiP study – information and survey Letters read on TWiP 272 New Case 40 year old man travels to India, is only there for a week before he develops problems. Bloating, diarrhea. Weathers the storm. Returns to US. Stool sent for testing. Some interesting results. Comes back positive for Hymenolepis nana, Blastocystis hominis, Giardia intestinalis. Recommended he take four tablets. Flatulence. HIV negative. He ate food that were prepared in the home but also out. Delhi area. Become a patron of TWiP Send your questions and comments to [email protected] Music by Ronald Jenkees Dear TWiP listeners, Have you ever wondered how TWiP shapes your understanding of science? We have! To find out more, Christina and the team are running a survey based study to learn more about how TWiP contributes to your scientific literacy and trust in science. Listen to the segment in this episode (TWiP 267) where Christina discusses the study's aims and scope. Anyone who listens to TWiP can participate. The survey is anonymous and we do not collect personal data that could identify you. There are no potential disadvantages or harms in taking part, other than using a few minutes of your time. You will receive no direct benefit from taking part in this study. However, the information that is collected during this study will give us a better understanding of who our listeners are, and why they choose to listen to TWiP. We can use this understanding to make TWiP even better! This is an academic study and we aim to disseminate our findings to the wider public, including you. For example, we'll have a conversation about the findings on a future episode of TWiP, we plan conference presentations and publication in a relevant academic journal The project has been reviewed and approved by the University of Glasgow College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences Ethics Committee. Application 200250013 You can find the study, detailed participant information, and consent information here: TWiP study – information and survey

Jan 15, 202657 min

Ep 271TWiP 271: The silent lesion

TWiP explores female genital schistosomiasis and associated genital infections in Southern Malawi, a neglected tropical disease. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Daniel Griffin, and Christina Naula Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Links for this episode Join the MicrobeTV Discord server Female genital schistosomiasis in Malawi (Parasitology) Mainstreaming female genital schistosomiasis (Parasitology) Female genital schistosomiasis (WHO) TWiP study – information and survey Become a patron of TWiP Send your questions and comments to [email protected] Music by Ronald Jenkees

Dec 23, 202549 min

Ep 270TWiP 270: They bake my noodle

TWiP solves the case about the man with abnormal brain MRI, and presents a new case for your solving about a man with some electrolyte issues related to his end-stage renal disease. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Daniel Griffin, and Christina Naula Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Links for this episode Join the MicrobeTV Discord server TWiP study – information and survey Letters read on TWiP 270 New Case A man in his 20s is admitted to the hospital with some electrolyte issues related to his end-stage renal disease. Infectious disease is consulted as he has a report of a recent positive strongyloides serology test that was done as part of his pre-transplant evaluation. He reports no international travel, no interesting exposures. Become a patron of TWiP Send your questions and comments to [email protected] Music by Ronald Jenkees Dear TWiP listeners, Have you ever wondered how TWiP shapes your understanding of science? We have! To find out more, Christina and the team are running a survey based study to learn more about how TWiP contributes to your scientific literacy and trust in science. Listen to the segment in this episode (TWiP 267) where Christina discusses the study's aims and scope. Anyone who listens to TWiP can participate. The survey is anonymous and we do not collect personal data that could identify you. There are no potential disadvantages or harms in taking part, other than using a few minutes of your time. You will receive no direct benefit from taking part in this study. However, the information that is collected during this study will give us a better understanding of who our listeners are, and why they choose to listen to TWiP. We can use this understanding to make TWiP even better! This is an academic study and we aim to disseminate our findings to the wider public, including you. For example, we'll have a conversation about the findings on a future episode of TWiP, we plan conference presentations and publication in a relevant academic journal The project has been reviewed and approved by the University of Glasgow College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences Ethics Committee. Application 200250013 You can find the study, detailed participant information, and consent information here: TWiP study – information and survey

Nov 28, 202556 min

Ep 269TWiP 269: Peripatetic Martin Grobusch

TWiP travels to Toronto, CA for the American Society for Tropical Medicine and Hygiene conference where they meet up with Martin Grobusch to discuss his career and his work. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Daniel Griffin, and Christina Naula Guest: Martin Grobusch Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Links for this episode Join the MicrobeTV Discord server Primaquine for blocking malaria transmission (Lancet Inf Dis) Pulmonary tuberculosis, Sierra Leone (New Microb New Inf) TWiP study – information and survey Become a patron of TWiP Send your questions and comments to [email protected] Music by Ronald Jenkees

Nov 21, 20251h 3m

Ep 268TWiP 268: A loyal parasite

TWiP discusses a 41-year long human infection with Schistosoma mansoni, and CRISPR screens that reveal genes essential for Cryptosporidium survival in the host intestine. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Daniel Griffin, and Christina Naula Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Links for this episode Join the MicrobeTV Discord server 41 year old Schistosoma infection (J Travel Med) Genes essential for Cryptosporidium survival in host intestine (Nat Comm) Become a patron of TWiP Send your questions and comments to [email protected] Music by Ronald Jenkees

Nov 9, 20251h 0m

Ep 267TWiP 267: It dropped from her scalp

TWiP solves the case about the female who traveled to Brazil and upon returning home felt movements under her scalp on the back of her head, and present another case for your solving, a man with abnormal brain MRI. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Daniel Griffin, and Christina Naula Guest: Eyal Leshem Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Links for this episode Join the MicrobeTV Discord server Life cycle of Dermatobia hominis (CDC) Letters read on TWiP 267 TWiP study - information and survey New Case Man in his 40s, married with 2 children, on Eliquis for a prior DVT, diet-controlled diabetes, who is admitted for evaluation of an abnormal brain MRI. He left AMA but then developed vomiting and returned. CT- Large peripherally enhancing mass lesion in the deep left cerebral hemisphere is associated with considerable vasogenic edema/infiltrative nonenhancing tumor. Mass effect results in left-to-right subfalcine herniation and entrapment of the right lateral ventricle. Findings are typical for glioblastoma. Intracranial abscess tumefactive multiple sclerosis and brain metastasis may mimic this appearance. Recommend supplemental imaging evaluation including gadolinium-enhanced MR brain. MRI- Dominant heterogeneously enhancing mass in the left basal ganglia/peri-insular region measuring 3.1 cm AP by 2.8 cm TR by 2.9 cm cc, with surrounding vasogenic edema resulting in mass effect and midline shift, as detailed above, concerning for high grade glial neoplasm versus metastasis. Additional leptomeningeal nodule in the right postcentral sulcus. Additional smaller peripherally enhancing lesion in the right lateral temporal region with suggestion of leptomeningeal component and measures approximately 0.8 x 0.8 cm, with mild surrounding vasogenic edema. They do a biopsy and pathology comes back as: – Brain tissue with extensive necrosis acute chronic inflammation, and rare microorganisms (on permanent section) -Brain, designated "left brain lesion", excision: – Brain tissue with extensive necrosis acute and chronic inflammation, reactive gliosis and occasional microorganisms Become a patron of TWiP Send your questions and comments to [email protected]

Oct 21, 202554 min

TWiP 266: Wraps and ivermectin for malaria

TWiP explains research showing that treatment of baby wraps with an insect repellent, and oral dosing with ivermectin, are both effective measures to prevent malaria. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Daniel Griffin, and Christina Naula Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Links for this episode Join the MicrobeTV Discord server Treated baby wraps prevent malaria (NEJM) Oral ivermectin prevents malaria (NEJM) Become a patron of TWiP Send your questions and comments to [email protected] Music by Ronald Jenkees

Oct 6, 20251h 0m
Vincent Racaniello 2022