TWiP 116: One drug to rule them all

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, and Daniel Griffin The TWiPtoids solve the case of the Thai Fisherman with Chronic Diarrhea, and reveal a potential new drug for treatment of leishmaniasis, Chagas diseases, and sleeping sickness. Links for this episode: Capillaria philippensis (Wikipedia) Proteasome inhibitor for three parasitic diseases (Nature) Image credit Letters read on TWiP 116 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. This episode is also sponsored by Drobo, a family of safe, expandable, yet simple to use storage arrays. Drobos are designed to protect your important data forever. Visit www.drobo.com to learn more. Become a patron of TWiP. Case Study for TWiP 116 This week's case involves no math. 36 year old Thai man from the northeast part of the country. Comes in with abdominal distention. Eats a normal Thai diet - Som Tam, Koi Pla, lots of rice. Feels well, came in because he is getting yellowing of skin and whites of eyes - jaundiced. Previously healthy, no prior med prob or surgery. No diseases running in family. Fisherman in the northeast (freshwater). Wife and many children, monogamous, HIV negative. Lives in jungle area, near river, many dogs, chickens, monkeys, goats, cows, pigs. Bathroom is outside. No fever, thin. Distention going on for months. Getting bigger. Exam: jaundiced, has large palpable non-tender mass below liver on his right side. No enlarged liver or spleen. No travel.  Send your case diagnosis, questions and comments to [email protected]