Dr. Peter Hotez - 1 in 20 Americans Has This Parasite and Doesn't Know It!

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 brainWhy standard PCR panels come back negative and which specific tests (antibody, fecal, eosinophil count) to ask forHow to lower your risk at home, from deworming pets on a vet schedule to knowing which symptoms warrant a targeted testWhy the popular "worm therapy for autoimmune disease" idea has the relationship backwards, worms are a leading driver of IBD and asthma, not a cureWhether 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.Thank you to our sponsors:BodyHealth - Use the code LYON20 to get 20% off your first order https://bit.ly/4f7ZqM5Our Place - Upgrade your kitchen with Our Place today. Visit https://bit.ly/4vT4cEr and use code DRYLON for 10% off sitewide. That’s F-R-O-M-O-U-R-P-L-A-C-E DOT COM / D-R-L-Y-O-N and use code DRLYON for 10% off sitewide. With a 100-day trial, you can try it completely risk-free.Lucy Get 20% off your next order with code DRLYON at https://lucy.co/, or find yours in store at https://bit.ly/4ybQCxHExplore More from Dr. Gabrielle LyonPremium Podcast Subscription: Ad-free episodes, key takeaway summaries, exclusive Q&A, and behind-the-scenes content https://foreverstrong.supercast.comWeekly newsletter: Recipes, podcast updates, and practical weekly insights https://drgabriellelyon.com/sign-up/Apply to become a patient: Personalized care with Dr. Lyon’s clinical team https://drgabriellelyon.com/new-patient-inquiry/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/07P0iANSConnect with Dr. Gabrielle Lyon:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drgabriellelyon/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drgabriellelyonX (Twitter): https://x.com/drgabriellelyonFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/doctorgabriellelyonChapters00:00 - Introduction: trust in science and nutrition04:11 - Anti-parasitic drugs sold as snake oil06:43 - How misinformation gets weaponized18:23 - The turbo cancer claim debunked24:41 - Finding experts you can trust30:52 - Hepatitis B vaccine and how babies get infected31:56 - The 75 vaccine myth: eight diseases to seventeen35:42 - Why the COVID vaccine wasn't rushed40:18 - Toxocariasis: the worm in stray dogs and cats43:50 - Why parasite tests come back negative45:57 - Hookworm in rural Alabama48:05 - Eosinophils and how to test50:21 - Worm therapy for autoimmune is backwards54:19 - Deworming pets and family transmission57:19 - Liver fluke and bile duct cancer1:01:11 - Climate change and parasites in the US1:03:16 - Lyme, ticks, and genomic surveillance1:08:00 - Flu and COVID as c