Episode Details

The parasites most Americans think of as a tropical problem are already here; showing up as fatigue, asthma, and gut issues that standard tests keep calling "normal." An estimated 1 in 20 people may carry one and never know it.

In this episode, Dr. Gabrielle Lyon sits down with Dr. Peter Hotez, a tropical-medicine physician and vaccine scientist, to discuss:

• Why toxocariasis, a worm shed by household dogs and cats, may affect 5–6% of the U.S. population, with larvae migrating through the lungs and brain
• Why standard PCR panels come back negative and which specific tests (antibody, fecal, eosinophil count) to ask for
• How to lower your risk at home, from deworming pets on a vet schedule to knowing which symptoms warrant a targeted test
• Why the popular "worm therapy for autoimmune disease" idea has the relationship backwards, worms are a leading driver of IBD and asthma, not a cure

Whether you've been told your labs are fine but still feel off, this conversation gives you a clear, evidence-based framework for what to test for and how to protect your family from infections hiding in plain sight.

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Find Dr. Peter Hotez at:

• Website: https://peterhotez.org/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/peterhotez/
• Book - “Science Under Siege: How to Fight the Five Most Powerful Forces that Threaten Our World” - https://a.co/d/07P0iANS

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