BROADCASTS.com

Hosts:\xa0Vincent Racaniello,\xa0Dickson Despommier, and Daniel Griffin

The TWiPtastic trio\xa0solves the case of the\xa0Surfer from Switzerland, and\xa0reveal\xa0how\xa0taste-chemosensory\xa0tuft cells in the gut regulate immune responses to parasites.

Links for this episode:

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• Taste-chemosensory cells\xa0and parasite gut immunity (Science)
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• Image credit
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• Letters read\xa0on TWiP 107
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This episode is sponsored by\xa0ASM Agar Art Contest\xa0and\xa0ASM Microbe 2016

Todays case is a fun case\xa0about a\xa045 year old gentleman from Assam India, with sixteen years of fever, abdominal pain, darkening of skin, yellowing of eyes. Farmer, does not have much energy. Works barefoot in fields. Fever occurs every other day. Prior medical problems, nothing out of the ordinary. No surgeries, no meds, has never seen physician. Married, kids, no extramarital affairs, HIV negative, eats mostly cooked vegetables. Lives in concrete house, no screens,\xa0mosquito netting. Other people in area have similar problems. Water comes from pump, fill plastic jugs. Been in Assam sick his whole life, finally came to regional med\xa0center\xa0for evaluation. Underweight. No pets. Dogs around, avoids dogs. Cows, monkeys are around. Fair appetite. Exam: febrile, in face can see darkening which is increasing, also extremities. Whites of eyes are yellow (jaundiced). Striking is has a very large liver, spleen. Elevated bilirubin. Some increased liver enzymes. No physical scarring or lesions.

Send your diagnosis to\xa0twip@microbe.tv

Send your questions and comments to\xa0twip@microbe.tv