Doctors find thousands of silent monsters living in the tissue of a Kentucky mother of five. Then, a New York attorney is paralyzed for months as doctors wait for her immune system to fight parasites on its own.
Doctors find thousands of silent monsters living in the tissue of a Kentucky mother of five. Then, a New York attorney is paralyzed for months as doctors wait for her immune system to fight parasites on its own.
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MUSIC IN HOST VO A caregiver is struck down by a deadly assassin that's living in his own backyard. JOHN TAVERNER VO/OC And all I seen was people running around me. And I was getting pretty scared because I'm wondering what's going on. HOST VO A ruthless killer attacks a working mom in her own home and leaves her fighting for her life. PAM BAKER VO/OC My worst fear was that I was going to die. HOST VO And a housewife is caught in the crossfire when a sinister predator goes on a brutal rampage. BONNIE DUNCAN VO/OC Nowhere in my wildest dreams that I think that I would have a parasite inside me. HOST VO Three very different parasites with one shared strategy, they lie in wait all around us. They are hungry for hosts, they are homegrown enemies. |
MUSIC SEGUE HOST VO Worms invisible to the human eye. Insects thirsty for blood. Microscopic amoeba. They might look harmless but these are some of nature's deadliest creatures. They can hijack our bodies, disable our immune systems. They are parasites. But to those infected they are the monsters inside me. |
MUSIC SEGUE HOST VO Parasites are some of the most successful and abundant organisms on the planet. They are all around us. In the air we breathe, the food we eat, and the water we drink. DAN RISKIN VO/OC When people think of parasites they often think of third world countries or tropical locations. But the truth is that every organism on the planet is at risk of a parasitic infection. Parasites are everywhere, even in developed countries like the United States. HOST VO And some of the deadliest parasites are lurking in the most common of places. |
MUSIC SEGUE HOST VO 2009, 55 year old John Taverner lives in Manchester, New Jersey and is the full time caregiver to his mother. JOHN TAVERNER VO/OC My mother who's got quite a few medical problems and she needs somebody here to help her all the time. After everything she did for everybody I promised her I wouldn't throw her in a nursing home. HOST VO When John is not caring for his mother, he spends time with his girlfriend Kristen. KRISTEN BUTTERFIELD VO/OC John is a very good guy. He'll give you his shirt off, you know, off his back kind of a guy. |
MUSIC SEGUE HOST VO But a parasitic invader is about to transform John from caretaker to patient. One night in June while John is making dinner for his mother he begins feeling unwell. JOHN TAVERNER VO/OC I was feeling feverish. I didn't know why. I had no symptoms. No sore throat, no coughing. No stomachache and I just couldn't figure out why I had this fever. MUSIC SEGUE HOST VO John doesn't take the fevers lightly. Five years previously he survived a battle with a deadly form of cancer called Hodgkin's lymphoma. Since then he has been wary of any signs that he might be getting sick. MUSIC SEGUE John calls his primary care physician and describes his symptoms over the phone. JOHN TAVERNER VO/OC He called in a script for me, antibiotic, and it seemed to work. My fever went away and I felt okay. HOST VO But a week later the fever is back. MUSIC SEGUE JOHN TAVERNER VO/OC I'm like what is this. I said I just got over a fever like a week or so again and it's starting again. I don't understand this. MUSIC SEGUE HOST VO Overnight John's condition rapidly deteriorates. JOHN TAVERNER VO/OC All I was doing is laying in bed, sweating. I tried to get up to go to the bathroom and I'm shaking like anything. And I just dive right back into the bed under the covers. My sheets are wet. The pillows are wet. I'm sweating and I'm cold. The last I looked when I checked my temperature I remember it being 103.7. MUSIC SEGUE HOST VO The next morning Kristen calls to check up on John. KRISTEN BUTTERFIELD VO/OC I don't even think he knew that he answered the phone because he didn't make any sense whatsoever. HOST VO Alarmed by John's incoherent ramblings Kristen rushes right over to his house. She is stunned by what she sees. KRISTEN BUTTERFIELD VO/OC John looked very almost gray. And, just beads of sweat all over his forehead, and just he did not, he didn't look good at all. HOST VO Kristen is determined to get John to the hospital. Before she can argue John is hit with a terrifying new symptom. MUSIC SEGUE KRISTEN BUTTERFIELD VO/OC He went to the bathroom all over himself. Like he couldn't even help it. He had no idea it was coming out of him. Not like saying, you know, a little bit of diarrhea here. It like was like just like a waterfall of just fluids out of him. I'm calling 911. MUSIC SEGUE HOST VO The ambulance arrives minutes later and John is rushed to the hospital. The first thing the ER nurse does is take John's temperature and the results are shocking. John's temperature is 105 degrees. A temperature this high can lead to convulsions and even death. KRISTEN BUTTERFIELD VO/OC I immediately asked the nurse, well you know, what would cause this. You know, what's going on, and she told me she had no idea. MUSIC SEGUE HOST VO John is given IV fluids to try to bring his temperature down, but what is causing the fever remains a mystery. JOHN TAVERNER VO/OC And all I seen was people running around me no faces, just seeing the green scrubs that the doctors and nurses wear in the emergency room. And I was getting pretty scared because I'm wondering what's going on. MUSIC SEGUE HOST VO Because of John's history of medical issues, the ER team contacts his personal physician, Dr. Frank Alario. DR. FRANK ALARIO OC/VO He was out of it, he was dehydrated. He was confused, he was running high fever. HOST VO In an attempt to find out what is causing the unusually high fever Dr. Alario orders a comprehensive work up. Several hours later the lab results are in, Dr. Alario has the answer. John has been brought to the brink of death by a microscopic parasite. MUSIC SEGUE |
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MUSIC SEGUE HOST VO Doctors have just told 55-year-old caregiver John Taverner that a parasite has invaded his blood and has brought him to the brink of death. His girlfriend Kristen is stunned. KRISTEN BUTTERFIELD VO/OC They said the parasite was attacking his blood cells and that it, it was killing him from the inside out. DR. FRANK ALARIO VO/OC John's blood cells showed that he had Babesiosis. MUSIC SEGUE HOST VO Babesiosis is caused by a tiny protozoan parasite called Babesia. MUSIC OUT DAN RISKIN OC/VO Babesia is a cold-blooded killer. Much like malaria it enters the blood stream and destroys red blood cells. HOST VO The damage begins in humans when the parasites enter the bloodstream. There parasites invade red blood cells where they feed and reproduce eventually the infected blood cells burst releasing legions of new parasites into the blood. DAN RISKIN OC Babesia can cause fatigue, headaches and fevers, but it generally stops there because the spleen can clean and replenish the blood. But in people who have lost their spleen, Babesia can run rampant through the body ultimately killing the host. MUSIC SEGUE HOST VO It is now becoming clear to Dr. Alario how John became so ill. John does not have a spleen. DR. FRANK ALARIO VO/OC John underwent treatment for Hodgkin's disease which is a cancer of the lymph nodes which he required to remove his spleen. MUSIC SEGUE HOST VO The spleen acts as a filter for red blood cells. Without a spleen John can no longer replenish his infected cells so it is harder for his body to fight off the parasitic infection. DR. FRANK ALARIO VO/OC It was a concern to us that the mortality rate goes up significantly with patients who have had their spleens removed. MUSIC SEGUE HOST VO But how did John get the parasite in the first place? Dr. Alario presses Kristen and John for more information. KRISTEN BUTTERFIELD VO/OC He asked me were you guys camping or picnicking or, you know, something outdoors? JOHN TAVERNER OC/VO I said no, all I do is walk out the front door, get the newspaper, and I get the mail. I usually walk out barefooted. HOST VO John's barefoot walks to the mailbox may hold the key to how he became infected. The life cycle of the Babesia microti parasite revolves around two hosts, a rodent such as a mouse and a tick. When a mouse is bitten by an infected tick the mouse becomes infected with the parasite. The parasite reproduces inside the infected mouse and when an uninfected tick feeds off the infected mouse the lifecycle continues. Humans can get the parasite if they're bitten by an infected tick. DAN RISKIN OC Humans are a dead-end host for the Babesia parasite because once they're inside a human they can't complete their life cycle. But they can wreak havoc on the red blood cells. MUSIC SEGUE HOST VO For the next two days doctors flood John's body with antibiotics to kill the parasite. JOHN TAVERNER VO/OC They didn't know how far this parasite had gone into my body where if these antibiotics were gonna work or not. HOST VO After two days it's clear that the medicine isn't working. John is losing red blood cells at an alarming rate and his life hangs in the balance. MUSIC SEGUE As a last resort John's doctors perform a blood transfusion. JOHN TAVERNER VO/OC They put a catheter in my neck, draw my blood out through there, clean it, and put it back in. And this was gonna take some time. And of course I gave them the okay because I wanted to live through this. HOST VO There's no guarantee that the procedure will save John's life. KRISTEN BUTTERFIELD VO/OC And that was pretty much their, their last option and if that didn't work it was a very real possibility that he was not gonna make it. |
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MUSIC SEGUE HOST VO The killer parasite Babesia is rampaging through John Taverner's body. It has brought him to the brink of death. Powerful antiparasitic medicine isn't working, so doctors have one last hope. A full body blood transfusion. KRISTEN BUTTERFIELD VO/OC And that was pretty much their, their last option and if that didn't work it was a very real possibility that he was not gonna make it. MUSIC SEGUE HOST VO The transfusion begins. For the next 48 hours nurses and doctors replace John's infected blood. His girlfriend Kristen can only wait and hope. KRISTEN BUTTERFIELD VO/OC The only thing going through my mind was please God let this work. MUSIC SEGUE HOST VO Finally after three days John's fever breaks. The transfusion is working. For the next week doctors continue to monitor John's blood count. Finally they declare John parasite free. Today John is on his way to a complete recovery. He is back home and he is caring for his mother full time. JOHN TAVERNER VO/OC I feel I'm back to my old self. I'm, I'm doing everything that I did prior to this incident that I had with the parasite. HOST VO But the experience has left some lasting effects. JOHN TAVERNER VO/OC Now that I know that these parasites do exist, I'm not walking outside without my shoes on any more. Every time I go out I got shoes, socks, long pants. |
MUSIC SEGUE HOST VO The Babesia parasite is common along the eastern seaboard of the United States from southern Maine to New Jersey and affects over 200 people each year. To avoid becoming infected those living in or traveling to areas where the parasite is found should keep their skin covered while participating in outdoor activities and wear insect repellent that contains DEET. DAN RISKIN VO/OC Babesia uses a tick to get from host to host. But other parasites don't need help. They're perfectly well adapted to sit in the environment on their own waiting for the opportunity to strike and take a new host. |
MUSIC SEGUE HOST VO March, 2007. Rochester, New York. Pam Baker is enjoying an active and busy life with her husband Bruce and their three daughters. PAM BAKER VO/OC Bruce and I just celebrated our 25th anniversary. He is a wonderful husband and he is the most amazing father in the whole world. BRUCE BAKER VO/OC She's very involved in the girls' school activities. She's been a Girl Scout leader since the time our oldest daughter was in elementary school. She manages to do everything and, and do it well. MUSIC SEGUE HOST VO As well as being a busy mom Pam spends long hours working as a political fundraiser. But her nonstop lifestyle is about to come to a grinding halt. |
MUSIC SEGUE HOST VO One morning in March Pam is getting ready to leave for the airport on a fundraising trip. But while she's packing Pam is struck by painful stomach cramps. PAM BAKER VO/OC I wasn't feeling well. It was cramping and it was intense and it was nothing that I'd ever had before. HOST VO Pam rushes to the bathroom where she has a bout of explosive diarrhea. MUSIC SEGUE PAM BAKER VO/OC I just assumed it would be quick, it would be over and I'd be on my flight. HOST VO But an hour later Pam's condition is worse. PAM BAKER VO/OC It didn't just happen in one or two quick rushes into the bathroom. It was something that went on for about four or five hours that day, and what I do remember distinctly was being absolutely drained by the end of the day. That there was just nothing left in my body and I was just a little worried that, you know, what if this was a bigger stomach bug. What if I was coming down with a virus? HOST VO By the time Bruce comes home that evening Pam has missed her flight. BRUCE BAKER VO/OC For her to miss that trip was huge. This was not a trip that would've been cancelled unless she was really sick. HOST VO Bruce helps his wife into bed. And the next morning the stomach cramps are gone. MUSIC SEGUE A few days later Pam is back to normal and is exercising at home. But after 30 minutes of brisk walking… MUSIC SEGUE …a disturbing new symptom appears. PAM BAKER VO/OC I was probably into about a half mile to three-quarters of a mile when I felt very lightheaded and realized that my vision was starting to become distorted. The peripheral vision started to retract and then also there was the squiggle lines in the middle of whatever I was looking at. No pain just that sensation and fear immediately sets in because it wasn't normal for me. MUSIC SEGUE BRUCE BAKER VO/OC She said she felt dizzy that she just didn't feel right. I guess I wrote it off to being really tired and that maybe she had overexerted herself on the treadmill. HOST VO As a precaution Pam makes an appointment to see her eye doctor the next morning. MUSIC OUT |
MUSIC IN PAM BAKER VO/OC He did a basic eye exam. I remember having them put drops in and I remember the machine that they put over your eyes to check your vision. And he came back and said hey everything looks good. There's nothing behind the retina. HOST VO Pam's doctor can find no obvious reason for her vision problems. But given Pam's age he thinks she might be suffering from a common postmenopausal condition called ocular migraine. MUSIC SEGUE PAM BAKER VO/OC When you lose estrogen it can impact headaches. HOST VO Symptoms of an ocular migraine include seeing flashes of light, zigzag patterns, blind spots or stars. PAM BAKER VO/OC My lifestyle wasn't really helping things. He did say he knew how busy I was and what I was involved with and he said you know it's not gonna hurt you to step back and cut back a little bit if this is what's happening. HOST VO The doctor suggest that Pam try to reduce stress. Following her doctor's advice Pam decides to take some time off from work. PAM BAKER VO/OC I wanted to sleep, I wanted to rest and I just wanted to recharge my batteries. MUSIC SEGUE HOST VO But a few days later Pam and her daughters are out shopping when she's hit with a terrifying feeling. PAM BAKER VO/OC I was just standing there flipping the clothes and I felt a sensation that I'd never had in my life. I was dizzy, so dizzy that the whole store started spinning around me. I felt heart palpitations. I physically could not do a thing. My first reaction was oh my god I'm having a heart attack. MUSIC SEGUE HOST VO The dizziness and pounding in her chest gets so bad that Pam can no longer stand up. PAM BAKER VO/OC I made it out to a street bench and put my head between my hands, closed my eyes and just I prayed. HOST VO Shaken by the episode Pam tries her best to hide the situation from her daughters. PAM BAKER VO/OC They came out. They had no idea what had happened. I just said I was really tired. Told them I was vey hot and it passed. It passed, probably 15 minutes. HOST VO The heart palpations stop but Pam remains worried. PAM BAKER VO There is something going on and I feel awful. |
MUSIC SEGUE HOST VO Pam makes an appointment with the family doctor for the next day. PAM BAKER VO/OC I knew that this was not stress. Something inside of me said, okay Pam, this is something very real. Let's get to the bottom of it. HOST VO The doctor orders a full blood work up. MUSIC SEGUE A few days later the test results come back. PAM BAKER VO/OC I got a call from my doctor and he said that the tests showed that I had a very, very high blood count in my white cells. |
MUSIC SEGUE HOST VO White blood cells form an important part of the immune system and help to fight off infection. A high white count can indicate a very serious infection. BRUCE BAKER VO/OC I was very concerned about the, the idea that she could have some type of serious infection. MUSIC SEGUE |
MUSIC SEGUE HOST VO The doctor refers Pam to Dr. William Bonnez, an infectious disease specialist at the University of Rochester Medical Center. DR. WILLIAM BONNEZ VO/OC It was clear that the white blood cell count was very high, but that in itself doesn't provide a quick and easy answer because there are many conditions that can be associated with an elevated white count like she had. The worst would've been some form of cancer. MUSIC SEGUE PAM BAKER VO/OC When I heard the word cancer my whole body internally just went to Jell-O. My worst fear was that I was going to die. |
MUSIC SEGUE HOST VO And now Inside The Monster. In order to transmit the Babesia parasite, how long must an infected tick remain attached to a human? A, one hour. B, 12 hours. C, 24 hours. D, one week. |
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MUSIC IN HOST VO To transmit the Babesia parasite an infected tick must remain attached to a human for at least C, 24 hours. |
MUSIC SEGUE HOST VO Doctors have just told 50-year-old political fundraiser Pam Baker that she might have cancer. PAM BAKER OC/VO When I heard the word cancer my whole body internally just went to Jell-O. My worst fear was that I was going to die. HOST VO Determined to find out what is wrong, Pam's doctor infectious disease specialist William Bonnez orders a battery of new tests that he hopes will find an answer. MUSIC SEGUE PAM BAKER VO/OC I think I counted at least six or eight vials of blood coming out of my body that day. BRUCE BAKER VO/OC We wanted a definitive diagnosis very, very badly. I wanted us to, to know what we were dealing with so that we could get it cured MUSIC SEGUE HOST VO After two agonizing weeks of waiting Pam receives a call from Dr. Bonnez. PAM BAKER VO/OC Dr. Bonnez called me that afternoon to tell me that we had something to hang our hat on. HOST VO What he tells her is something no one has considered. DR. WILLIAM BONNEZ VO/OC The blood tests showed us that there was only one thing that was, was really abnormal which was that she had antibodies against a parasite called Toxocara. MUSIC SEGUE HOST VO Toxocara is a deadly round worm that feeds on human tissue. PAM BAKER VO/OC I couldn't believe that a doctor was telling me that I had a parasite. It was just really hard to think that some microscopic little thing was, was stealing me of my life. MUSIC SEGUE HOST VO When Toxocara eggs enter the human intestines they hatch into larvae. The larvae then penetrate the bowel wall and migrate through the blood stream to the liver, lungs, eyes or brain. As it battles the parasite the body's immune system generates an inflammatory response in the affected tissues. If the parasite reaches the eye this inflammatory response can have serious consequences. DAN RISKIN VO/OC The human body is a dead end for the Toxocara parasite because it can't mature into an adult worm there. But as a larval worm it migrates through the tissues causing severe damage. And if it destroys the retina that causes permanent blindness. MUSIC SEGUE HOST VO Because Pam's most recent symptoms included dizziness and blurred vision, the doctors are worried that the parasite has already invaded Pam's eyes. DR. WILLIAM BONNEZ VO/OC The parasite can cause blindness by causing a, a reaction in the eye that destroys the retina. BRUCE BAKER VO/OC It was just almost something I just couldn't even bring myself to think about. The idea that Pam at 50 could go blind, it was almost too horrible to contemplate. PAM BAKER VO I remember looking at my husband and said this can't happen. It just can't. |
MUSIC SEGUE HOST VO Can doctors save Pam's eyes before it's too late? Dr. Bonnez summons Pam to his office immediately. PAM BAKER VO/OC He decided that we did want to have a ophthalmology specialist take a look at me. HOST VO Pam is sent for more tests that will determine if the parasite is in her eye. MUSIC SEGUE In the meantime, Dr. Bonnez is left with an important question. How did Pam contract the Toxocara parasite? DAN RISKIN VO/OC Toxocara is an extremely successful parasite. This is homegrown enemy that has launched a very successful campaign against people and their pets. HOST VO Toxocara begins as a free-living egg in the soil. The eggs are then ingested by a mammal such as a dog. The eggs hatch into larvae in the dog's gut, penetrate the intestinal wall and migrate through the body. The adult worms lay eggs in the intestines which are then released back into the environment in the feces. DAN RISKIN VO/OC Puppies and kittens are at the greatest risk of contracting and passing on Toxocara. They can pick it up very easily from the milk of an infected mother or from the environment. MUSIC SEGUE HOST VO Dr. Bonnez asks Pam and her family about how they could've been exposed to the parasite. PAM BAKER VO/OC The immediate question was our dog. We had a beautiful golden retriever and I spent a lot of time walking him and cleaning up after him and he wanted to have our dog checked for the parasite. HOST VO Could an encounter with the family dog have brought Pam Baker to the brink of blindness? |
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MUSIC SEGUE HOST VO Political fundraiser Pam Baker is locked in a battle for her sight with the deadly parasite Toxocara. Doctors are not sure if she will go blind and believe that she might've contracted the parasite from the Baker's family dog. The Bakers send their dog for testing, and a few days later the results come back. The dog is negative. Without a clear culprit doctors tell Pam that she may never know how she became infected. PAM BAKER VO/OC Everybody's best guess is that I was eating someplace and somebody who handled my food had this parasite and passed it to me. MUSIC SEGUE HOST VO Dr. Bonnez puts Pam on a strong antiparasitic medication that he hopes will kill the organism. After a few days the tests are back, and the news is positive. PAM BAKER VO/OC Once Dr. Bonnez had the results and he said your blood count is back to normal, and I was told that it wasn't in my eye, I finally saw the light at the end of the tunnel. I, I felt so relieved at that point. MUSIC SEGUE HOST VO Today Pam is completely cured, but her battle with Toxocara has changed her life forever. PAM BAKER VO/OC I count myself very blessed for the life that I was allowed to lead again but it's not the same life that I led before the illness. It's a very much new hopefully improved version of me. |
MUSIC SEGUE HOST VO The CDC believes Toxocara cases in the U.S. are fairly common. DAN RISKIN VO/OC By some estimates 14 percent of the population in the U.S. is infected. Toxocara canis is commonly found in our yards, and in our homes. But it's relatively easy to avoid with good hygiene. HOST VO The best way to avoid becoming infected with Toxocara is to ensure that pets are dewormed regularly and maintain good personal hygiene while caring for animals, and especially before eating. Some parasites are just as common, but keeping out of their way is much more difficult. As one woman in Kentucky is about to discover. |
MUSIC SEGUE HOST VO 2008. Bonnie Duncan is a 56-year-old mother of five living in Staffordsville, Kentucky. For Bonnie and her husband Jonathan life revolves around their large, close knit family. BONNIE DUNCAN VO/OC Jonathan and I have five kids together. We have five grandchildren. We’re very, very close with them. JON DUNCAN VO/OC We have family activities with the grandchildren, with our children. Family is everything. |
MUSIC SEGUE HOST VO But Bonnie and Jonathan's good life is about to take a deadly plunge into the world of parasitic infection. MUSIC SEGUE One day in November, Bonnie is getting ready for a family get together. BONNIE DUNCAN VO/OC I had made a breakfast casserole the night before and I was in the kitchen preparing it. HOST VO Suddenly out of nowhere she is hit by a terrifying attack. BONNIE DUNCAN VO/OC I was coughing so bad. It was very harsh, very deep. JON DUNCAN VO/OC And I ask her if she was okay because she, you know, had had asthma problems before. MUSIC SEGUE HOST VO Bonnie turns to her asthma medications for relief. BONNIE DUNCAN VO/OC The breathing was very limited at this point. It was scary. HOST VO But the drugs don't help. BONNIE DUNCAN VO And that's when I got my husband and my kids and told them somebody needs to get me to the doctor. MUSIC SEGUE HOST VO The doctor orders a chest x-ray to determine why Bonnie's breathing is so restricted. A few hours later the results are in. JON DUNCAN VO/OC They diagnosed her with pneumonia. MUSIC SEGUE BONNIE DUNCAN VO/OC I was relieved. I thought they'll give me antibiotics and, and I'll be okay in a couple days. HOST VO In addition to the antibiotics Bonnie is given a strong dose of steroids to open her airways. BONNIE DUNCAN VO/OC He recommended that I take my medicine as prescribed and I thought okay, I'll do what the doctor recommends and I'll be okay. HOST VO The steroids help… MUSIC SEGUE …and soon Bonnie can breathe regularly again. But she still doesn't feel like her normal self. BONNIE DUNCAN VO/OC I'm not coughing like I was, but I was very nauseous. HOST VO In fact by the next day Bonnie is so nauseous that she stops eating altogether. BONNIE DUNCAN VO/OC My husband and the kids keep telling me to eat, but I just couldn't eat. You know, I couldn't force it down me. HOST VO Bonnie and Jonathan assume the nausea is a side effect of Bonnie's pneumonia medication. MUSIC SEGUE But after a few days Bonnie is still not eating and Jonathan begins to worry. JON DUNCAN VO/OC We were very concerned that she wasn't getting enough nutrition in her body to keep her going. MUSIC SEGUE HOST VO Jonathan pleads with Bonnie to eat, but when she does the results are disastrous. MUSIC SEGUE Bonnie develops excruciating muscle spasms and begins to vomit. BONNIE DUNCAN VO/OC When I put food in my mouth I threw it back out. My stomach is hurting from the muscle spasms. HOST VO Bonnie continues to vomit for the rest of the day and Jonathan is helpless. JON DUNCAN VO/OC She was not keeping any nourishment in her system. HOST VO In fact Bonnie has nothing left in her stomach and the stomach spasms are only getting worse. BONNIE DUNCAN VO/OC I was throwing up a lot of green bile. It got to the point where I can't even raise my head up by myself. HOST VO Bonnie's condition is deteriorating by the minute. And soon she begins to fear the worst. MUSIC SEGUE BONNIE DUNCAN VO/OC A small voice inside me just was saying get to the hospital. This was the worst I have ever felt in my life. I thought I was going to die. |
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MUSIC SEGUE HOST VO 56 year old Bonnie Duncan is experiencing terrible stomach cramps. She's unable to hold down food and hasn't eaten properly for several days. BONNIE DUNCAN VO/OC This was the worst I have ever felt in my life. I thought I was going to die. MUSIC SEGUE HOST VO Frantically, Bonnie's husband, Jonathan, rushes her to the emergency room. JON DUNCAN VO/OC I was exceeding the speed limit. I was concerned that she might pass out on me. So I was trying to get her to the emergency room as quickly as possible. MUSIC SEGUE HOST VO At the hospital Bonnie is seen by a gastroenterologist, Dr. Bahram Forouzandeh. BONNIE DUNCAN VO/OC The doctor came in to examine me he pushed on my stomach and it's very, very sore. HOST VO Right away Dr. Forouzandeh confirms Bonnie's greatest fears. DR. BAHRAM FOROUZANDEH VO/OC I was under the impression that either she has some blockage in her bowel or there is some cancer going on. MUSIC SEGUE HOST VO So Dr. Forouzandeh inserts an endoscope into Bonnie's digestive tract. What he sees gives him serious cause for concern. DR. BAHRAM FOROUZANDEH VO/OC When I do the endoscopy I found that the stomach was very inflamed. HOST VO Dr. Forouzandeh takes a small biopsy of the inflamed tissue and sends the sample to the pathology lab for testing. A few hours later the results come back. MUSIC SEGUE Bonnie has been infected by one of the deadliest parasites on the planet. Dr. Forouzandeh breaks the news to Bonnie and her family. BONNIE DUNCAN VO/OC Dr. Forouzandeh tells my husband that I have a Strongyloides parasite. Nowhere in my wildest dreams did I think that I would have a parasite inside me. |
HOST VO Strongyloides is a tiny threadlike roundworm only two millimeters in length, and about twice the diameter of the head of the head of a pin. They can lie dormant inside a host for years, but when they become active they can wreak havoc in the body. MUSIC SEGUE DAN RISKIN VO/OC Strongyloides is a crafty killer. Left uncheck Strongyloides can cause something called hyperinfection. HOST VO Strongyloides worms reproduce rabidly in the host's gut. The larvae burrow through the intestines eating the body's tissues as they go. As the worms continue to feed the body's immune system responds causing severe inflammation in the gut. This can result in bloody diarrhea and intense pain. Left unchecked the parasite can cause so much internal damage that the host can die. JON DUNCAN VO/OC Naturally we were very surprised at this because no one had even thought about this before. BONNIE DUNCAN VO/OC We were shocked that such a small, small parasite can do so much damage to my body. MUSIC SEGUE HOST VO Strongyloides worms are usually held in check by a healthy immune system, but when the immune system is suppressed the worms become more active and start to destroy the host's insides. Dr. Forouzandeh examines Bonnie's recent medical history and zeroes in on the steroid treatments Bonnie was given for her breathing problems a few weeks earlier. DR. BAHRAM FOROUZANDEH VO/OC After she received treatment for asthma which is the steroid, sometime it can decrease immune system and cause this infection to get worse. HOST VO Dr. Forouzandeh needs to act fast. He floods Bonnie's body with a strong antiparasitic drug called Ivermectin. BONNIE DUNCAN VO/OC Dr. Forouzandeh told my family that after I'd taken that for a few days that it should kill the parasites. MUSIC SEGUE HOST VO While they wait to see if she recovers doctors are left with the pressing question how did these savage killers get inside Bonnie in the first place. |
MUSIC SEGUE HOST VO The Strongyloides parasite begins its lifecycle as a free-living worm in the soil. When a host, such as a dog steps on the parasite the worm burrows into its paw. The worm reproduces inside the dog's gut and when the worm's eggs are passed out in the dog's feces the lifecycle continues. DAN RISKIN VO/OC Strongyloides has a great trick for getting into its human host. It sits and waits in the soil. It's attracted to a chemical called urocanic acid which occurs naturally on the skin and also on the soles of the feet. So when a human steps on this parasite, it grabs on, injects its way through the skin and gets right into the bloodstream. MUSIC SEGUE HOST VO While most Strongyloides infections occur outside of the United States there have been reported cases of infection in certain areas in the U.S. DAN RISKIN VO/OC One thing that makes Strongyloides so effective is its ability to live in different environments. It does well in tropical areas, but it also does well in the temperate U.S. like the Appalachian region, and that's what makes this parasite such an effective homegrown enemy. HOST VO Since Bonnie has spent her entire life in the rural Appalachian region doctors believe that she may have picked up the parasite right in her own backyard. JON DUNCAN VO/OC Dr. Forouzandeh thinks that Bonnie could have picked up this parasite through the, the soil either working in the garden or walking around barefoot. |
MUSIC SEGUE HOST VO After a few weeks Bonnie's condition starts to improve, and she returns home to Jonathan and her kids. Today Bonnie's life is getting back to normal, but her battle with the Strongyloides parasite has changed her daily life. BONNIE DUNCAN VO I'll never work in the flower garden again without gloves. JON DUNCAN VO She won't let the grandchildren walk around barefoot in the grass. BONNIE DUNCAN VO/OC I think my story shows that anybody that works in dirt or goes barefooted in the soil you could get a parasite. Anybody can get them if you work in the soil. |
MUSIC SEGUE HOST VO In order to avoid contracting… |
HOST VO …the Strongyloides parasite residents of or travelers to the Appalachian region should refrain from walking barefoot on soil, and always wash their hands after working or playing outside. DAN RISKIN VO/OC Many parasites live in third world countries in tropical places where hygiene is poor and the opportunities for transmission are vast. But other parasites do very well in developed countries right in our back yards. These homegrown enemies are thriving among us waiting for an opportunity to take a new host. HOST VO For more disgusting parasites and tips on how to avoid them, visit our website animalplanet.com/monstersinsideme. |
| MUSIC OUT |
HOST VO But Pam is not out of the woods yet. Treatment for Toxocara is long and arduous. |
PAM BAKER VO/OC Dr. Bonnez had told me upon diagnosis that he was expecting me to be feeling pretty lousy for about eight months. |
HOST VO For the next eight months Pam continues to undergo treatment. |
HOST VO Pam is sent home and for the next two weeks she and her family anxiously wait for the findings. |
BRUCE BAKER VO/OC There were a number of days of just thinking of all the possibilities that this could be. It was just, it was a very long difficult period of, of waiting. |
HOST VO When Kristen gets home she's alarmed by John's condition. |
KRISTEN BUTTERFIELD VO/OC I was worried that something was, was, you know, was seriously wrong with him. I was pushing him very hard to go see the doctor. |
HOST VO But John can't leave his mother alone. |
JOHN TAVERNER VO/OC If something really bad happened to me, what would happen to my mother? There'd be nobody here to take care of her. So I kept fighting this hoping that it would go away. |
HOST VO Reluctantly Kristen leaves for the evening. |
JOHN TAVERNER OC I don't remember any bites at all. I don't remember feeling any kind of itch or anything. I, I, I don't know where this bug entered my body. |
HOST VO Tick bites may not be recognized by their human host as the nymphs are the size of a poppy seed. |
KRISTEN BUTTERFIELD VO/OC How could something as tiny as a tick, you know, completely, you know, take out, you know, a, a man as big as him. |
HOST VO Dr. Forouzandeh immediately begins a series of tests to try to identify what could be causing the blockage in Bonnie's digestive system. |
JON DUNCAN VO/OC We were all very desperate trying to get someone to tell us exactly what the problem was and hope, hopefully find a solution to it. |
HOST VO The physical exam fails to find the obstruction. |
HOST VO But the vicious worms have done far more damage than the doctors originally thought. Without warning Bonnie begins suffering from massive internal bleeding and begins coughing up blood. |
BONNIE DUNCAN VO/OC It looked like something in a horror film. There was blood on the walls, the bed and the doctors and nurses were all around me. |
JON DUNCAN VO It scared us all. The doctor decided that emergency surgery had to be done immediately. |
HOST VO While doctors rush Bonnie into surgery, her family can only wait and hope. |
JON DUNCAN VO/OC The doctors were straight forward with us and told us that we should not leave the hospital. |
HOST VO Hours later the doctors emerge with news. By cutting out a large portion of her small intestine they have stopped Bonnie's internal bleeding, but the parasite has caused so much damage it may be too late. |
BONNIE DUNCAN VO/OC They put me in intensive care and they come out and tell my family that the next 24 to 48 hours would be critical. |
JON DUNCAN VO/OC They didn't really expect her to live that first night. We were all very scared. We were very concerned about her, her life. |
HOST VO Bonnie remains in critical condition for the next two weeks. After a few weeks Bonnie's condition takes a turn for the better. Finally she is discharged from the hospital, but is sent to a rehab facility. The parasite has caused so much damage to Bonnie's body that she has to relearn basic motor skills. |
JON DUNCAN VO/OC She wasn't able to hold her own weight on her feet. She needed assistance just to stand. |
DR. BAHRAM FOROUZANDEH OC She couldn't even walk after, you know, all the problems she had. She was very weak and she have to have somebody, you know, hold her arms to walk her. |
JON DUNCAN OC/VO We had hoped and, and believed that she could, you know, lead a, a meaningful life after this. She was so weak and had been so immobile for so long that you know, you know, it was a, it was a struggle just to get her from her bed to a wheelchair, and we all knew that, you know, it was gonna be a long, long road back to what she once considered normal. |
BONNIE DUNCAN VO/OC They later told me how serious it was and that I could've died and you know for a long time it didn't really, it didn't really dawn on me. But then you know one day it hit me how close I came to death. |