With names like leishmaniasis, myiasis, new world screwworm and gnathostomiasis, parasitic infections can be absolutely the worst souvenir to bring back from any trip. They all come from unwanted hitchhikers that can return with travellers after they explore distant and not-so-distant destinations, turning even the most idyllic trip into a nightmare.
So, how can travellers avoid bringing back unwanted parasitic souvenirs? What should travellers do to minimize the risk of parasitic infection? And what should you do if you suspect you have a parasitic disease?
In this special in-person taping of the Travel Unravelled podcast recorded at the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH) 2025 annual meeting in Toronto, moderator Dr. Aisha Khatib is joined by International Society of Travel Medicine president Dr. Anne McCarthy to welcome special guest host Dr. Henry Wu, clinical group president of ASTMH and director of Emory University's TravelWell Center. The two tropical medicine specialists interview Dr. Carlos Seas, Associate Professor of Medicine at Cayetano Heredia University, and Dr. Stephen Vaughan, Clinical Associate Professor of Infectious Diseases at the University of Calgary. Together, this group brings decades of experience in travel and tropical medicine, sharing expert insights, practical advice, and real-world stories to help travellers stay safe.
Content Warning: This episode includes graphic discussions of parasitic infections. Viewer discretion is advised.
We'll uncover:
Where parasites hide
The environments that put travellers at risk
Foods and water sources that can carry parasitic infections
How to protect yourself and avoid bringing home an unwanted souvenir
Real-life stories and anecdotes from travellers and clinicians
Key parasites to watch for, including skin, food-borne, and vector-borne infections
GUEST BIOS
Dr. Henry Wu is an Associate Professor of Medicine and Distinguished Physician in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Emory University. Dr. Wu serves as the director of the Emory TravelWell Center, Emory's clinical center dedicated to the prevention, treatment, and surveillance of infections related to travel and migration. He previously served at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as an Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer and Medical Epidemiologist at the Meningitis and Vaccine Preventable Diseases Branch. Dr. Wu's interests include infectious diseases epidemiology, tropical diseases, travel medicine and the evaluation of patients for serious emerging infections.
Dr. Carlos Seas is a Gorgas Course Director. He is an Associate Professor of Medicine and
Subdirector of the Alexander von Humboldt Tropical Medicine Institute at Cayetano Heredia University. He has published over 140 peer-reviewed papers and several chapters in textbooks such as Mandel's and Cecil's, and is associate editor of several reputed medical Journals His research interests include tuberculosis, cholera, shigellosis, hospital-acquired infections, HIV/AIDS, skin and soft tissue infections, infections in travellers, antimicrobial resistance, and S. aureus bacteriemia. He is a Member of the National Academy of Medicine in Peru and Fellow of the Infectious Disease Society of America, and has served DSMB's at NIH-USA for over 12 years.
Dr. Stephen Vaughan is a Clinical Associate Professor of Infectious Diseases at the University of Calgary, Cumming School of Medicine, and the Adult Infectious Disease Residency Program Director. He's passionate about sharing his knowledge and has been awarded numerous clinical teaching awards, appears in the media as an infectious disease expert, and, in the past, provided COVID-19 guidance to the Calgary Flames. He has served on the Committee to Advise on Tropical Medicine and Travel (CATMAT), Calgary Site Lead for GeoSentinel (CDC-funded), and founded the Canadian National Tropical Medicine Rounds. Dr. Vaughan's research interests include tropical infectious diseases, and phage therapy.
LINKS
The CDC's guide to prepping for parasitic diseases while travelling
What is cutaneous larva migrans?
Furuncular myiasis in a returning traveller.
The periscope sign as a new dermatoscopy finding to facilitate the diagnosis of furuncular myiasis.
Furuncular myiasis in a traveller to West Africa.
What is Amebiasis?
CDC describes Gnathostomiasis.
What is Fascioliasis?
Understanding your risk for Leishmaniasis.
Clinical management of East African trypanosomiasis in South Africa.
What is Schistosomiasis?
Parasites Without Borders Podcast
Travel Unravelled is sponsored by the International Association for Medical Assistance to Travellers (IAMAT). IAMAT is the exclusive sponsor of season 2 of ISTM's Travel Unravelled podcast.
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The ISTM's Travel Unravelled podcast is produced by Ghost Bureau, the Toronto content agency.
DISCUSSION POINTS
00:00 Intro
04:55 Dr. Carlos Seas
06:37 Dr. Stephen Vaughan
07:52 Cutaneous larva migrans
10:04 Myiasis
15:40 New World Screwworm
17:35 Paragonimiasis
25:08 Gnathostomiasis
31:23 Fascioliasis
36:01 Vector-borne parasites
42:48 Lightning round advice
46:50 Audience questions
56:30 Wrap up
