TWiP 96: Salivary pharmacopeia

The TWiPanosomes solve the case about the Young Woman who Went to Belize, and relate how sandfly saliva skews the immune response and increases risk of cutaneous leishmaniasis.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, and Daniel Griffin

 

Links for this episode:

• Sandfly exposure and risk of cutaneous leishmaniasis (J Inf Dis)
• TWiP 14: Leishmania
• Image is L. longipalpis (credit)
• Letters read on TWiP 96

Case study for TWiP 96

Daniel's patient for this week is male patient referred for consultation by OB-GYN: his wife is pregnant, has been admitted and is about the give birth. It is her first pregnancy. There are concerns about the husband's skin problem and whether it is a threat to his pregnant wife. No lesions on woman, husband recently developed itchy skin problem on his hands. Bilateral. Small papules on webs of fingers, brown lines, blood clots at ends, has clearly scratched the lesions. Skin between fingers is involved. Travels, often stays in cheap hotels. Beds not clean. Last trip 1 month before symptoms.  Midwest travel. Family history of heart disease. Sales occupation. No animal exposure. Travels to medium to large cities. 

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