TWiP 112: A NOD to a tricky helminth

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 [email protected]