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 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.
Thank you to our sponsors:
• BodyHealth - Use the code LYON20 to get 20% off your first order bit.ly/4f7ZqM5
• Our Place - Upgrade your kitchen with Our Place today. Visit 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.
• Branch Basics - Get 15% off the Premium Starter Kit at bit.ly/4yNdfJ7 with the code DRLYON.

Explore More from Dr. Gabrielle Lyon
• Premium Podcast Subscription: Ad-free episodes, key takeaway summaries, exclusive Q&A, and behind-the-scenes content foreverstrong.supercast.com
• Weekly newsletter: Recipes, podcast updates, and practical weekly insights drgabriellelyon.com/sign-up
• Apply to become a patient: Personalized care with Dr. Lyon’s clinical team drgabriellelyon.com/new-patient-inquiry

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

Connect with Dr. Gabrielle Lyon:
• Instagram: instagram.com/drgabriellelyon
• TikTok: tiktok.com/@drgabriellelyon
• X (Twitter): x.com/drgabriellelyon
• Facebook: facebook.com/doctorgabriellelyon

Chapters
00:00 - Introduction: trust in science and nutrition
04:11 - Anti-parasitic drugs sold as snake oil
06:43 - How misinformation gets weaponized
18:23 - The turbo cancer claim debunked
24:41 - Finding experts you can trust
30:52 - Hepatitis B vaccine and how babies get infected
31:56 - The 75 vaccine myth: eight diseases to seventeen
35:42 - Why the COVID vaccine wasn't rushed
40:18 - Toxocariasis: the worm in stray dogs and cats
43:50 - Why parasite tests come back negative
45:57 - Hookworm in rural Alabama
48:05 - Eosinophils and how to test
50:21 - Worm therapy for autoimmune is backwards
54:19 - Deworming pets and family transmission
57:19 - Liver fluke and bile duct cancer
1:01:11 - Climate change and parasites in the US
1:03:16 - Lyme, ticks, and genomic surveillance
1:08:00 - Flu and COVID as cardiovascular threats
If you found this episode valuable, share it with someone who would benefit from it.
Disclaimers: This episode includes paid sponsorships.
The Dr. Gabrielle Lyon Podcast and YouTube are for general information purposes only and do not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing, or other professional health care services, including the giving of medical advice, and no doctor/patient relationship is formed. The use of information on this podcast, YouTube, or materials linked from this podcast or YouTube is at the user's own risk. The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard or delay in obtaining medical advice for any medical condition they may have and should seek the assistance of their health care professional for any such conditions.